|
Southampton Football Club has long been one of high drama, of
comings and goings, unlikely signings, soap opera of the first order.
But even by their standards, this season has been pretty extraordinary
with enough plots and sub plots to blow Eastenders out of the water.
Three managers into the current campaign, it looks as though they’ve
alighted upon a pretty good man for the job in Harry Redknapp, even
if getting him was pretty nearly the cause of open warfare along
the Solent. If the Saints and Pompey were never too keen on one
another before this season, you can be pretty sure that each absolutely
hates the sight of the other now. And all because Harry decided
to move a bit further along the south coast.
The ins and outs of Redknapp’s departure from Portsmouth are
one thing, but as soon as Harry was on the open market, you have
to admire Southampton’s speed of thought and deed in dragging
this crafty cockney down to the St Mary’s Stadium, because
not many managers know more about life at the sharp end than Harry
Redknapp.
Year upon year, his wheeling and dealing in the transfer market
helped keep West Ham in the top flight, but Harry has always been
a bit more than a clever market trader. His man management and his
shrewd tactical decisions were every bit as vital in keeping the
Hammers punching above their weight – their swift decline after
Harry had his head chopped off at the Boleyn Ground shows just what
a massive part he played in their success.
He worked the oracle at Fratton Park too. Installed as Director
of Football, he stood by as Portsmouth almost slumped out of Division
One. In short order, manager Graham Rix was shown the door and then
pushed through it as Harry took control. Two years later, Portsmouth
were established in the Premier League, a monumental achievement
inspired by Redknapp and some inspirational signings, not least
Paul Merson, Teddy Sheringham and Patrik Berger.
It was a peculiar irony that the arrival of a new director of football
should be the catalyst for Redknapp’s departure from Portsmouth,
but Harry doesn’t appear to be a man who brooks much interference
from anyone, for he has a very definite vision of how a football
team should be run – by him.So now it’s Southampton who
hope to take full advantage of his particular skills which revolve
getting talented, if occasionally idiosyncratic and wayward, footballers
to play progressive, attacking football, while always keeping an
eye on the transfer market for men to bring in. Not even the transfer
window seems to put the dampener on him, because as soon as it opened,
Southampton were in the market place, five new faces heading for
the south coast to try to salvage the club’s season.
It’s hard to tell whether Redknapp believes that Saints can
survive or not, at least according to his public pronouncements.
One minute he’s quoted as saying that Southampton didn’t
work the window well enough and that they’re doomed, then the
next he’s praising his side to the hilt for their display against
Everton, talking up the value of his signings and sounding very
bullish about their prospects.Whether Redknapp is a success this
season or not, he’ll certainly understand if Norwich, Palace,
and West Brom fans wish him the very best of bad luck in the coming
months – there’s one thing on which the majority of fans
can agree. It’s good to have him still involved in the game
for Redknapp is one of English football’s great characters,
an entertainer, someone who you can’t ignore, love him or loathe
him as many Pompey people now do.
Standing on the touchline next to Jim Smith – a man with even
more miles on his footballing clock – Harry has become something
of an institution. And that experience is a weapon he puts to good
use, week in week out. Harry Redknapp has been around too long to
think that anything will be decided by the end of February. He knows
that all sorts of twists and turns will envelop the bottom four,
five, six clubs before the final whistle is blown on this epic season.
Thirty-six points still up for grabs. All to play for.
|
