Lame Duck Syndrome

[Burko]

Remember that time when Fergie said he was retiring and Man U went to pot for half a season....

Looks to me that Redknapp is suffering the same situation, everyone knows he's off to manage England, whether you care to admit it or not. Not just for the prestige, but the stupid money involved.

I'm just wondering, when he has a go at the players, do they really care? or do they just think "Oh well, he's gone in 10 games"

 

[S.L.R]

I'm not sure how much of it is down to the distraction of the manager's position being under question, and how much is down to the manager's failure to get the tactics right.

In the games against the scum and at Everton, the tactics/formations are open to a lot of criticism. Against United there's a consensus that we played well but lacked that final ability to make it count.

There is a big question over the defence obviously. Does it seem likely the defenders are suffering from low morale? Possibly. Looks like a dark cloud of uncertainty may be looming over the dressing room at the moment, which I suppose you'd have to attribute at least in part to the Redknapp situation.

But setting out incorrectly at the scum and getting hammered has knocked their confidence, that's for sure.

 

[CharlieTHFC]

You could argue that it's not the players that are distracted by the whole saga, but Harry himself. Which is leading him to putting very little thought into team selection/formation/tactics.

I can't believe though, that even if Harry couldn't see that the tactics were wrong for three games in a row, that Kevin Bond, Joe Jordan or Clive Allen didn't notice.

Or are they all keeping quiet in the hope that Harry will take them with him and they'll all get a bump in wages too?

 

[Dannyboy]

I just don't think it enters the players minds whilst playing. I used to play every Saturday and Sunday, hated my job, had no money and had become so repellent to women that I had become a self abuser of some note but when playing footballl I didn't think of any of that shit.

If, however that is happening it says more for the mental fragility of the players than it does anything else. Redknapp's tactics have been frustrating without question but some of the mistakes, especially in defence have been appalling...

 

[S.L.R]

I can't believe though, that even if Harry couldn't see that the tactics were wrong for three games in a row, that Kevin Bond, Joe Jordan or Clive Allen didn't notice.

Or are they all keeping quiet in the hope that Harry will take them with him and they'll all get a bump in wages too?

Yes, I wondered about the coaching staff recently, about the extent to which they are prepared to speak up if they disagree with the manager on an issue.

It does beg the question if any of them are looking at a dodgy looking teamsheet and actually saying anything about it.

It's like with the whole "we don't practice set-pieces in training" idea. If we don't, because the manager doesn't see the point, surely the coaching staff should be saying something.

 

[Blanchflower]

I can't believe though, that even if Harry couldn't see that the tactics were wrong for three games in a row, that Kevin Bond, Joe Jordan or Clive Allen didn't notice.

Or are they all keeping quiet in the hope that Harry will take them with him and they'll all get a bump in wages too?

Yes, I wondered about the coaching staff recently, about the extent to which they are prepared to speak up if they disagree with the manager on an issue.

It does beg the question if any of them are looking at a dodgy looking teamsheet and actually saying anything about it.

It's like with the whole "we don't practice set-pieces in training" idea. If we don't, because the manager doesn't see the point, surely the coaching staff should be saying something.

Apart from Clive Allen all any of them know is Redknapp's approach to training and games - why would they question it now?

 

[CharlieTHFC]

I can't believe though, that even if Harry couldn't see that the tactics were wrong for three games in a row, that Kevin Bond, Joe Jordan or Clive Allen didn't notice.

Or are they all keeping quiet in the hope that Harry will take them with him and they'll all get a bump in wages too?

Yes, I wondered about the coaching staff recently, about the extent to which they are prepared to speak up if they disagree with the manager on an issue.

It does beg the question if any of them are looking at a dodgy looking teamsheet and actually saying anything about it.

It's like with the whole "we don't practice set-pieces in training" idea. If we don't, because the manager doesn't see the point, surely the coaching staff should be saying something.

I think another thing we lack is real personalities in the team. With the exception of probably van der Vaart and Gallas there are no big personalities that are likely to stand up and say they disagree with something.

Guys like Dawson and King and Parker are 'great lads' I'm sure, but I can't imagine Ledley saying 'Well actually we think we should be doing this Harry..'

Harry spoke about having leaders and personalities in the team and the only other one of note would have been Robbie Keane, and we all know what happened when he stepped out of line (Christmas party).

 

[Ben]

If they have let this affect them, (bearing in mind that when capello walked we still considered outside title contenders) then its totally unprofessional, and more to the point downright cuntish. the precious little babies all need to grow the fuck up and deal with it just like we have to.

finishing top 3 and reaching the cup final should be motivation enough.

 

[Smoked Salmon]

You could argue that it's not the players that are distracted by the whole saga, but Harry himself. Which is leading him to putting very little thought into team selection/formation/tactics.

This is an interesting point. Harry's behaviour has been different recently. In his pre-match interviews he has seemed less jovial and enthused as usual, and in some of his post match interviews, particularly the one this past weekend, he looked seriously agitated.

Of course, we can all speculate as to why this is but ultimately we don't know. But this change in attitude seems to have conincided with the drop in form, who who knows what is going on behind the scenes. One thing is for sure, the dynamic certainly seems to have changed.

 

[Smoked Salmon]

If they have let this affect them, (bearing in mind that when capello walked we still considered outside title contenders) then its totally unprofessional, and more to the point downright cuntish. the precious little babies all need to grow the fuck up and deal with it just like we have to.

finishing top 3 and reaching the cup final should be motivation enough.

Alas, I suspect that many footballers are precious little cunts who have never had to grow up into an adult so this sort of behaviour is normal to them.

 

[docomospur]

If they have let this affect them, (bearing in mind that when capello walked we still considered outside title contenders) then its totally unprofessional, and more to the point downright cuntish. the precious little babies all need to grow the fuck up and deal with it just like we have to.

finishing top 3 and reaching the cup final should be motivation enough.

Alas, I suspect that many footballers are precious little cunts who have never had to grow up into an adult so this sort of behaviour is normal to them.

Indeed, and how many of the current Spurs lot we can confidently say are really committed to the club? Big fat 0, in my opinion. They're more than happy to walk and take a paycheck from another club if we (I mean they) fail to make the CL.

 

[tehTrunk]

If this crop of players throw away what we had, and now don't even finish 4th, it will be unforgivable.

 

[mad]

If that happens this will go from our best ever premier league season to our most disappointing. i just remember how pleased i was when we beat city and got CL for the first time, and even if we finish 4th its a shame this season seems to be finishing on a bit of a damp squib