Redknapp looks to lift Spurs

21 March 2012 09:47

Harry Redknapp accepts you have to be as much as psychologist as a manager nowadays as Tottenham prepare to return to action in the Barclays Premier League against Stoke following the trauma of Fabrice Muamba's cardiac arrest.

The condition of the Bolton midfielder is now described as "comfortable" in intensive care, following his collapse at White Hart Lane on Saturday. Spurs' players and coaching staff alike were all moved by the experience, with both counselling offered by the club as well as the opportunity for heart tests at the training ground in Chigwell.

Redknapp, who revealed he had trouble sleeping in the wake of last weekend's events, said: "There's more to it now than there ever was. The lads are different now, probably. I think football management is about it being half a psychologist with them anyway, really."

The Spurs boss added: "Everything you do with them it is all psychology. You have always got people who are up, or some who are down because they are not playing.

"You are never going to have everybody happy or all on the same wavelength. You are always going to have problems, you are dealing with a load of young guys."

Redknapp, 65, has been through his own fair share of testing times recently, recovering from surgery to unblock coronary arteries in November 2011 and then enduring what was a draining court case earlier this year.

On Sunday evening, one of Spurs' Academy players, Oliver Modeste, sustained a significant head injury after an accidental fall and the 17-year-old remains in intensive care.

Redknapp admitted everything can "take its toll." He added: "We all need someone to talk to, I talk to my wife. She keeps me going.

"It has knocked me low, it has knocked me flat for two or three days. It does seem to be one thing after the other recently, and it does take its toll on you, I suppose.

"Especially with a young boy [Muamba] like that, to see that happen was unreal, but I spoke to [Bolton boss] Owen [Coyle] late last night and he just couldn't be happier with the way things had gone yesterday, so that was fantastic."

Source: PA