This week’s installment of 'Extra Time' Dave Clarke takes a look at some of the managers who were in the headlines this week.
Harry Redknapp – Redknapp has somehow avoided the criticism that other managers in England receive. He deserves a lot of credit for helping Spurs qualify for this year’s Champions League and for some of his team’s performances in that competition. However, a case could be made that Spurs should be comfortably in the top four instead of now looking over their shoulder at Liverpool and possibly failing to qualify for next year’s Europa Cup. Spurs dropped 11 points against West Brom, Wigan, West Ham, Wolves and Blackpool in five of its last seven games. The team was second best in four of them. Fortunate results against Arsenal and Stoke have kept Spurs in touch with Man City for the final Champions League spot. With better team selection, better squad rotation, better tactical preparation and the signing of a forward in the January transfer window Spurs would already be out of sight. The reason they are not has nothing to do with the spending power of City, Chelsea or Liverpool and all to do with Redknapp. He is quick to accept the praise when his team does well, but needs to accept more responsibility when results have not gone his team’s way.
Harry Redknapp – Redknapp has somehow avoided the criticism that other managers in England receive. He deserves a lot of credit for helping Spurs qualify for this year’s Champions League and for some of his team’s performances in that competition. However, a case could be made that Spurs should be comfortably in the top four instead of now looking over their shoulder at Liverpool and possibly failing to qualify for next year’s Europa Cup. Spurs dropped 11 points against West Brom, Wigan, West Ham, Wolves and Blackpool in five of its last seven games. The team was second best in four of them. Fortunate results against Arsenal and Stoke have kept Spurs in touch with Man City for the final Champions League spot. With better team selection, better squad rotation, better tactical preparation and the signing of a forward in the January transfer window Spurs would already be out of sight. The reason they are not has nothing to do with the spending power of City, Chelsea or Liverpool and all to do with Redknapp. He is quick to accept the praise when his team does well, but needs to accept more responsibility when results have not gone his team’s way.
Arsene Wenger – The Frenchman is respected for what he has accomplished with Arsenal since he first arrived in England in 1996. However, there is a sense that because of recent results the Gunners fans are losing patience with their manager. Six weeks ago his side was in serious contention for an unprecedented (in England) quadruple. Losses to Birmingham City, Barcelona, Man United and the likes of Bolton Wanderers put paid to their Carling Cup, Champions League, FA Cup and Premier League hopes respectively. Wenger’s behavior on the sideline in those games and in post game press conferences is now the thing of legend with opposition fans. He has lost the plot and continues to blame everyone, but himself for his team’s travails. Wenger needs to take some responsibility because it was his team that threw away a four goal lead at Newcastle; it was his team that threw away a two goal lead against Spurs, not once, but twice; it was his captain that back heeled the ball on the edge of the penalty area to allow Lionel Messi to score at the Camp Nou; it was his keeper that gifted Obafemi Martins the winning goal in the Carling Cup Final; and it was his defender who needlessly gave a away a penalty against Liverpool to cost his team two points.
Neil Lennon – Lennon may yet end the season without his Celtic team winning a trophy, but the Irishman has endeared himself to the Celtic support. The manner in which he has handled the pressure of death threats to him and his family, the receipt of bullets in the mail, the vile sectarian abuse from opposition teams in general and Rangers fans in particular and the latest, a parcel bomb intercepted before delivery. The support the Celtic fans gave Lennon and his team at Kilmarnock on Wednesday was as good as any in recent memory. Celtic responded with a comfortable 4-0 win and followed it up with a scoreless draw against Rangers at Ibrox Park. Celtic is one point behind their bitter rivals, but with a game in hand and a superior goal difference and are now slight favorites for the title. Lennon was abused throughout the Rangers game with chants of “what’s it like to live in fear?” At the end of the game he saluted the Celtic fans in attendance and then cupped his ears at the Rangers fans who were booing him. Those same fans have flooded the forum boards and radio call in shows in the past 24 hours to vent their moral indignation at Lennon’s actions. The man has been abused for his 10 years in Scotland for nothing other than being Irish and a Roman Catholic and we are to believe that Rangers fans found the incident incendiary. Please!
Pep Guardiola – His Barcelona team finally lost to Real Madrid in a meaningful game, the Copa del Rey Final, albeit the least important of the major games the two teams will play this season. It was only the third time in 52 games that Guardiola’s team has failed to score. Barca did create some chances, but not to the extent they have done in previous meetings with Madrid. There were signs during the game that Guardiola was frustrated with Real’s and Jose Mourinho’s tactical approach and a reluctance to change his own team’s tactics. The Champions League semi-final against Madrid will be a fascinating contest and a real test of Guardiola’s ability as a coach. Despite winning three successive titles and one Champions League Guardiola may have to help Barcelona eliminate Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho to demonstrate that his philosophy of football is superior to his peers.
Jose Mourinho – Arsene Wenger should take notes about Mourinho’s approach to the Cope del Rey Final against Barcelona. Mourinho selected a very strong side with the tactical preparation to win the club’s first trophy in three years. The Portuguese manager understands the importance of winning silverware for the long term development of a team. His ultimate successes at Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan were built on winning the likes of the UEFA Cup and Carling Cup. Success breeds success as they say. I still feel Barcelona is favored in the Champions League semifinal, but with the confidence of winning the Spanish Cup I would not be surprised if Real and Mourinho advance. Where would Arsenal be now if they had won the Carling Cup against Birmingham rather than capitulated as they did?
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