Source: Team_Talk
Harry grateful for Levy interference
Harry Redknapp thanked Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy for signing Rafael van der Vaart after he set up the come-from-behind win over Wolves.[LNB] Van der Vaart was a class act on the pitch after shaking off a calf strain to start his third game in a week as Spurs scored three times in the final 13 minutes to record their first Premier League home win of the season.[LNB]The Holland midfielder cancelled out Steven Fletcher's opener from the penalty spot before substitutes Roman Pavyluchenko and Alan Hutton sealed a 3-1 victory.[LNB]Van der Vaart joined Spurs in a last-gasp £8million move from Real Madrid on transfer deadline day.[LNB]Although Redknapp had mentioned him to Levy over the summer, it was the Spurs chairman who made the move for the 27-year-old.[LNB]Such matters have been resigning matters for managers in the past but Redknapp is delighted with this particular instance of interference.[LNB]"Yeah, probably," he said.[LNB]"He was on a list that we'd bandied about three months ago.[LNB]"I watched him play for Holland against Norway in Amsterdam and liked him.[LNB]"He's a good player and he'll link in with how we want to play."[LNB]Despite Van der Vaart's best efforts, Spurs had looked set for another Champions League hangover following their defeat by Wigan in their last home game.[LNB]Redknapp said: "I wasn't at all disappointed with how we played. I was disappointed to be 1-0 down, obviously.[LNB]"But I couldn't criticise the players for the way we tried to play, the way we moved the ball around.[LNB]"I thought we did as well as we could and made opportunities. We just needed to stick one away.[LNB]"And when the chances came, it was important we tried to finish them."[LNB]He added: "We stuck at it and that was good.[LNB]"The subs all came on and played their part. Alan Hutton had a great second half.[LNB]"We haven't really seen Pav and then he scores.[LNB]"It was a great result for us."[LNB]Redknapp denied fearing the match was becoming Wigan all over again but admitted: "There was a point in the game when I thought we wouldn't win the game.[LNB]"I'd be a liar sitting here saying I always knew we were going to come back and win it."[LNB]The win came at a cost as Younes Kaboul pulled a hamstring and William Gallas suffered cramp.[LNB]Vedran Corluka was forced out of the squad after hurting his back in training on Friday and Redknapp revealed captain Ledley King was almost a late withdrawal.[LNB]The Spurs boss said: "At quarter-past two, I put the teamsheet in and it looked like I might have to change it because he felt his groin."[LNB]Wolves boss Mick McCarthy was angry both with his players for throwing away their lead and with referee Mike Jones for failing to award the visitors a first-half penalty.[LNB]"We've contrived to give that away, I think, to be honest with you," McCarthy said.[LNB]"We were certainly the architects of our own downfall by allowing them to open us up and then get the penalty."[LNB]McCarthy refused to expand on the mistakes that let Tottenham back into the game.[LNB]"I know exactly what they are but I'm not going to air them here, because I'll protect my own players," he said.[LNB]"It'll be said in house - it's already been said.[LNB]"But I'm not going to have a go at my own players, that's for sure.[LNB]"They were fabulous for most of the game. But it's the fine detail.[LNB]"You give Champions League teams a chance and they'll punish you, and that's what's happened."[LNB]On the incident that saw Matt Jarvis go down in the box under a challenge from Gallas, McCarthy added: "I thought it was a stonewall penalty.[LNB]"Theirs was a stonewall. I doubt very much he (Jones) wasn't going to give that one."[LNB]The loss of Jarvis to a groin strain in the 54th minute was a blow for Wolves' hopes of holding out.[LNB]"He's terrific; he's been very good for us and he's a threat with his pace," McCarthy said.[LNB]"I was in the process of taking Fletch off - he'd had a bang and he'd scored the goal that, in reality, should've given us something out of the game.[LNB]"But Jarvo was starting to struggle. I'm not going to risk him because I need him fit."
