Source: Telegraph
Harry Redknapp's Tottenham revolution paying off
He assembled the whole Tottenham Hotspur first-team squad in the audio-visual room, that doubles for press conferences, at the club's tight training ground in Chigwell, Essex. And he tore into them. [LNB]"I caned them," Redknapp said (with the expletives omitted). "I had them in here and went through them all one by one and told them what I thought of them in front of everyone else. [LNB] Related ArticlesBoateng and O'Hara to join PortsmouthRedknapp eyes Muntari reunionPremier League transfersPremier League fixturesTelegraph player raterPremier League table"I told them how we were where we were because of what they had done. But I don't do that all the time. It was a one-off. I'd rather encourage them but there came a stage last year when I thought 'hang on, let's sort it out'."[LNB]That was Jan 12. The day before, Spurs had lost away to Wigan Athletic with a dire, soulless performance that left them still in danger of relegation. Wilson Palacios had run the game. So Redknapp went and bought him for £14 million. [LNB]"One or two players have made the difference," the Spurs manager said. "Palacios has made a massive difference. He has come in, gets on with it, is strong and aggressive. He's what Tottenham haven't had. [LNB]"I always felt when they used to come to Portsmouth [Redknapp's former club] that you could bash Tottenham up. You always felt you could beat them, get after them. And I don't feel that now."[LNB]Spurs are, of course, top of the Premier League after three successive victories which means that, since Redknapp succeeded Juande Ramos last October, they have acquired 58 points from 33 matches. And that is European form. [LNB]"We had that form and have improved in the summer and carried on from the transfer window in January when we brought in three big players for us: Jermain Defoe, Robbie Keane and Palacios," Redknapp said. [LNB]Unsurprisingly expectations at White Hart Lane are now running riot. Again. [LNB]It does not take much, of course, and there have been an embarrassing number of false dawns for a club with big ambitions and little patience. After all, a return of one Carling Cup, with an expenditure of more than £90 million in four years, is staggering. [LNB]Redknapp commanded his own transfer fee, £5 million in compensation, to Portsmouth and his regime has been diametrically opposed to Ramos's. Rip it up and start again. [LNB]"You create a better atmosphere, a different atmosphere around the place," Redknapp said. "Whether it is the tea ladies or the people who cook the dinners, you create an atmosphere at a football club. That's what I have done. [LNB]"At West Ham I used to let the fans in to watch training and when I left they stopped doing it and wouldn't let anyone through the front gates. They got relegated. But at least they had stopped the fans coming in. [LNB]"You treat the players like adults. I'm not like a sergeant major. It must have been hard for the man [Ramos] because he didn't speak English anyway and that makes it hard. It was difficult. I couldn't imagine going to Spain and trying to coach and work with players."[LNB]But there were other things that Redknapp changed. Ramos was severe, the squad unbalanced and far too small with some players denied squad numbers, banned from training and informed of this, via text message, by the Spaniard's assistant Gus Poyet. [LNB]The Uruguayan, a former Spurs midfielder, had misgivings and complained to Ramos about the monotony of some coaching sessions. Furthermore players were so hungry after training ground meals due to the controversial diets introduced by Ramos that they would drive to a local Italian restaurant to eat. [LNB]Redknapp also allowed players to stay at their own houses, rather than a hotel in Canary Wharf, the night before home games, and brought back former players such as Tim Sherwood to help improve the sense of camaraderie as well as the training. [LNB]The squad was not just demotivated and hungry but unbalanced. Nine in and 15 out during last summer had taken its toll with confusion as to whether the signings, and departures, had anything to do with Ramos or were the work of the sporting director Damien Comolli who has also since left and chairman Daniel Levy. [LNB]The botched business over Dimitar Berbatov's transfer great, financially, with £30.75 million for the striker, but disastrous in terms of the first team and its timing, highlighted the problems. [LNB]Redknapp went about identifying "a little group" headed by Ledley King to build his team around. Bringing back Keane and Defoe was brave but also showed the folly that had preceded it. [LNB]Now Spurs, benefiting from rare stability, and facing Birmingham City at home on Saturday, can augment. On Friday they announced a tie-up with the Brazilian club Internacional which is likely to lead to the arrival of the 20-year-old defensive midfielder Sandro for £16 million. [LNB]It's a high price. But that has been Spurs' way. [LNB]2004-09: the big spenders[LNB]Bought Sold Net Season average 1 Man City £271m £67m £204m £34m 2 Chelsea £268m £123m £145m £24m 3 Liverpool £251m £134m £117m £19.5m 4 Tottenham £301m £195.5m £105.5m £17.5m 5 Sunderland £154m £63m £91m £15m 6 Aston Villa £113m £37m £76m £13m 7 Everton £92m £56m £36m £6m 8 Man Utd £189m £161m £27m £4.6m 14 Arsenal £112m £138m -£26m -£4m Spurs have spent more on transfers since 2004 than any other Premier League club. [LNB]
