Is Harry Any Better Than Martin Jol?

"> Feb 24th, 2011 @ 10:14 am › Robert Reed
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First of all, let me make it quite clear that this is not a ‘Harry bashing’ article. I have nothing against him at all and have total respect for what he is achieving. There is little doubt that this is something of a golden era for Tottenham; Champions League, challenging at the top end of the table etc. Harry Redknapp has certainly overseen this transition and all credit to him. We are playing an exciting brand of football which is winning us fans around the world and the club’s progression on his watch has left him as a virtual nailed on certainty (justice system permitting) to become the next England manager, a job which has always been his dream. He has done a lot for us, but we have certainly done a hell of a lot for him too.

We as Spurs fans are in an interesting and somewhat unique position of not only knowing that our manager is most probably going to leave soon even though he is successful, but also roughly when that is likely to be. I for one am intrigued to see what happens when that unfortunate event comes to pass.

The fact is, Martin Jol did a very good job at Tottenham himself. While he had some of the players we have now I don’t think many would disagree that our squad is better than it was then. Yet in both the 05/06 and 06/07 seasons he took us to fifth place in the league playing his own brand of exciting football. Indeed in one of those seasons we only missed out on fourth place on the last day of the season, and that partly due to the handicap of the stomach bug or dodgy lasagna or whatever (sour grapes and hard cheese certain Arsenal fans would have me believe) which struck our squad at the worst possible time. Granted, Manchester City weren’t in the good position they are in now but then Liverpool were a much more potent force than they are at present, so that sort of evens things out. Also Mourinho’s Chelsea were in full swing, but that didn’t stop Jol’s Tottenham beating them in the league; the first time we had done so since 1990.

In the 07/08 season we got off to a difficult start, with friction between Jol and Damien Commoli who was running everything except the coaching as part of Levy’s ill fated ‘Director Of Football’ strategy. Although the system had been working when Jol’s good friend Frank Arnesen had the Director’s role, the Dane’s departure left him with no friends in high places. Commoli and Jol never saw eye to eye due to the manager having no say in transfers and after losing the first two league games of the season his position was undermined when two Spurs officials were photographed with Juande Ramos in a Spanish hotel. Ramos admitted that Tottenham had made him a ‘dizzying offer’ and the writing was on the wall for the Dutchman. Things culminated in the incredibly disrespectful situation of certain players knowing Jol had been sacked before he did, and the humiliation of Jol learning in a text message from his nephew at half time in a UEFA Cup match that he had been sacked. So ended a shameful episode in Levy’s otherwise admirable running of the club.

So then to the glory, glory days of Juande Ramos. Our new Spanish manager took the squad to victory in his first season by winning the Carling Cup, and it was all down hill from there. We barely won a game for the rest of the season and finished eleventh. Ramos was not a happy teddy. He went hell for leather to get the players in peak physical condition with rigorous training and some nutritionist who made the squad eat what was an equivalent of baby food as well as being very strict about all aspects of the player’s diet and lifestyle. The players hated it, and that combined with Ramos’ lack of English and attitude to the players lost him the dressing room.

In the 08/09 season, as all will remember I’m sure, the squad good enough to have missed out on fourth place by one game a couple of years previously and win the Carling Cup the season before sat rock bottom of the league with morale even lower. Enter Redknapp.

Commoli was sacked and Redknapp was given the full control of the club which Martin Jol so craved. Harry worked the motivational magic he is so famous for to see Spurs rise up the league table to finish in eighth place and the next season, last season, we all know what happened. The emergence of Gareth Bale and the form of Luka Modric saw Spurs finally clinch that coveted fourth spot and Champions League qualification.

If it were down to me Harry would not be going anywhere. We are going in the right direction under his stewardship and I believe the old adage that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  Make no mistake, Redknapp has proved himself to be a top, top manager who we are lucky to have, but it has to be said that there is some evidence that he may have been a little fortunate with the credit he has received for the miraculous change in fortunes he oversaw at Tottenham. We do have a very good sqauad. Our midfield for instance I would not change for any other in the league.

Much is made of the fact that we have a lower wage budget than the teams around us, resulting in an attitude that we should ’know our place’. Some even make out that Liverpool’s higher wages mean they should be above us. Really? Paid more or not, would you prefer to have their squad than ours? I think that attitude is very disrespectful to our squad and that while fourth or fifth is where we will probably finish, third place would be a more likely outcome for us this season than sixth. The fact is many of our players are good enough to be playing for our rivals (those teams would have that be the case given half the chance) and be on the astronomical wages they pay. Bale, Modric, Lennon, van der Vaart, Dawson and arguably Huddlestone could all be on wages well in advance of what we pay them.

Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea have squads slightly better (except for midfield) than ours, but not a lot better. Our forward line doesn’t compare to any of theirs but saying their squads are miles better than ours because they pay more wages is a complete non sequitur. If he could, Alex Ferguson would buy half of our midfield to create a new United midfield of his own. 

It is true that if we do not progress, build a new stadium and continue playing at the absolute peak of our abilities to obtain Champions League riches our wage structure will hold us back. We need to strengthen and if CL football is not on offer that season the offer of high wages will be required. It is also true that if everyone finished in order of bookies favourites Spurs would probably be fifth, but that rarely happens in any sport. We are doing surprisingly well, but this view from some that Harry is making silk purses out of sow’s ears and that we are punching way above our weight is inaccurate. He is simply getting the maximum out of our impressive squad, as other top managers could.

As I said at the start I am not having a go at Harry, but I think optimism should be felt on two fronts if and when he leaves. Tottenham could well continue to thrive at this level, and England could have a manager to galvanise the squad and bring us something to be proud of on the international scene.

So who should the new manager be? Although it is way too early for that discussion I would say that, when the time comes, if bygones could be bygones a certain chubby, out of work and much loved Dutchman would get my vote.

COYS!

You can follow me on Twitter @ RobertReedUK

Some Related Spurs Posts:Bale Or Modric Go To United? You’re Living In The Past, FergieWhy Spurs Should Be Considered Favourites To Finish ThirdSpurs’ World-Wide Profile Is On The RiseCan We Play AC Milan Again Please?Harry Needs To Toughen Up To Save Spurs’ Season Categories: Blogroll, Carling Cup, Champions League, Harry Redknapp, Players, Premier League, Team News
Tags: Blogroll, Carling Cup, Champions League, Gareth Bale, Harry Redknapp, Luka Modric, Manchester City, Martin Jol, Players, Premier League, Premiership, Spurs, Team News, Tottenham, Tottenham Hotspur Del.icio.us Digg Technorati Magnolia Newsvine Reddit6 Responsesthin white duke 22 mins ago

Are you mad? Martin Jol is clueless, and always will be.

Greg 10 mins ago

stop talking nonsense. of course he is. BMJ would not make a substitution to save his life. he had a few favs and would not remove them from the team no matter how bad they were playing

Dan 4 mins ago

Gregg you describing Jol or Redknapp? What do you think redknapp is doing if he currently isn’t picking his favourites you tool. Crouch and Defoe should have been dropped ages a go.

Whitehartlad 3 mins ago

I know Harry is a man-management genius but I seriously worry about his tactical nouse. He has made some real blunders this season not starting Krancjar against Blackpool when he is the only one with goals in him. Not securing a forward or forwards in the transfer window was a disaster and wll cost us 4th place. I saw a statistic the other day that said our forwards had the lowest percentage success rate in the Premiership! None of them can hit the inside of a barn door on a regular basis and in Defoes case not at all. The loss on Tuesday will define our season in my opinion.

Mes 2 mins ago

Articles like this are the reason why I’m probably going to stop bothering with NewsNow.

Enorme Nuez 0 mins ago

I would take ‘Arry over Jol. My only beef with ‘Arry’s approach is his use of players or lack of use.

He should be rotating player. I know with of defensive situation we are limited in options, but elsewhere should be rotated. We rode Bale until he couldn’t carry us. Why couldn’t Kranjcar be used, and have Bale on the bench.

We have youth players that we don’t utilise. Some may say that they aren’t very good, but a game here and there won’t show their true potential. Look at other teams, that constantly shuffle the first team. ManUre is a prime example. Last nights match against Marseille had Darron Gibson starting over Scholes. Yes Scholes is old, but if that was ‘Arry he would’ve rode Scholes until he died. Smalling played, as did O’Shea when there were other options. If he utilised Rose and Townsend as options then players like Bale and Lennon or Van der Vaart wouldn’t be so susceptible to injures or burn out. Remember last season with Palacios and how he was rode till he burnt out.

All I’m say is rotate players and utilise the WHOLE team. Keeps players fresher and injury free in my opinion.

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