Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur: Harry Redknapp secures place in the history books

05 May 2010 22:39
It was only last Thursday that Roy Hodgson clinched Fulham's place in the Europa League final; an achievement rated by Sir Alex Ferguson as 'one of the best ever' by a British football club. Three days later and Steve McClaren took a huge step to restoring his reputation by winning the Dutch league and so following Sir Bobby Robson as the last English manager to win a major title. [LNB]And finally there is Harry Redknapp, someone whose place at the top table of British managers has been earned by a record of consistent achievement over more than 25 years at Bournemouth, West Ham, Portsmouth and now Tottenham. [LNB] Related ArticlesMancini insists he will stay as City managerDebate: How will Spurs fare in the Champions League?Spurs join Euro eliteMan City 0 Tottenham 1: as it happenedMan City deny Redknapp's Bellamy claimsManchester City v Tottenham Hotspur: match previewEven so, his accomplishment in guiding Tottenham into the Champions League for the first time in their history quite possibly tops any of his past feats and also those this season of Hodgson and McClaren. [LNB]Yes, there are those who would argue that silverware should really count above what is only a fourth-place league but, judging by what each achievement could mean for the respective clubs, Tottenham's first appearance in the Champions League is potentially more significant. [LNB]Financially, it means extra revenues next season of around £20 million but, even more importantly, it finally places Spurs with the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester United, AC Milan, Barcelona, Arsenal and Bayern Munich among the elite of world football. For Redknapp's future ability to attract players and continue to strengthen his squad, that is absolutely crucial. [LNB]It becomes even more remarkable against the backdrop of the situation he inherited from Juande Ramos last season when averting Championship football was a bigger priority than the Champions League. [LNB]So just what explains Redknapp success? Ask the man himself and he will always reply with the same answer. 'There are no secrets,' he says, 'it is just about good players.' [LNB]Sounds simple, but what Redknapp has is a rare gift even among the very best managers of spotting talent. Few have a better eye and feel for a player and he is particularly astute at seeing how a player can fit into his squad. A common feature of Redknapp's team are that they are generally well balanced, with a mixture of pace, youth, experience as well as left and right-sided players. [LNB]Yet even with good players, Redknapp's biggest attribute is his charisma. He is difficult not to like and, while he is no hands-on coach, his man-management is exceptional. He also has the personality to handle the egos and expectation that surrounds a club of Tottenham's stature and ambition. [LNB]It is a combination of qualities that, alongside the likes of Hodgson, McClaren, Tony Pulis and Sam Allardyce, has helped restore faith in English managers. [LNB]

Source: Telegraph