What are Harry’s strengths (and how do we know)?

[Éperons]

I'm on the record as being rather ignorant regarding what makes a good manager. I have not played an organised football match since I was in school, and I barely understood the sport then. So I'm asking this question out of equal parts ignorance and skepticism.

What, precisely, is Harry good at? And, more importantly, how do we know that he's good at that?

• I've read that 'he's a great man manager'. IMO a great man manager would not have players grousing about lack of playing time. Every manager has one or two--Harry has had several (Roman, Pienaar, Niko, Jermaine, vdV (to a degere), Jenas? Bentley? Crouch?)
  
• I've read that he's inspirational to his players. Yet how often (especially when ahead) does the side come out after halftime looking sluggish and disconnected? I only remember two instances this season (recently against Everton and a previous match--maybe Stoke away?) where the team looked fired up and more organised at the start of the second half.
  
• I've read that he has a light touch at practices. This is obviously good for some players and bad for others. Presumably the players who need more attention feel Jordan's eye-daggers on the backs of their necks.

But then…

What am I overlooking?

Again, please substantiate your claims. It's important for me to deal in the knowable, not the suspected. Or is that, in its own way, naïve?

(And then the side question becomes, why on earth is he 'perfect' for England?!?)

 

[Blanchflower]

His main attributes seem to be;

-Can build a decent team
-Sees potential in players others have written off
-Players seem to like him
-He keeps his tactics simple

 

[YidoBuckler]

Wheeling and dealing.

Evidence. Friedel, Nelsen & Saha.

 

[Blanchflower]

The press also like him

(might not seem like a real attribute but in days gone by the knives have always been out for Spurs......I think we get an easier ride with him as manager)

 

[Éperons]

-Can build a decent team

How do you mean? That he seems to create a united squad, as opposed to one fractured into factions? Was factionalism a problem under Ramos? Jol?

-Sees potential in players others have written off

Like Bale? On the other hand, he seems to play favourites despite seeming talent in the roster (Roman, Pienaar on the right, Gio…)

-Players seem to like him
-He keeps his tactics simple

The opinion of players is tough to gauge--surely no one will say anything bad about him, unless that person's second name is Pavlychenko. As for keeping tactics simple… sometimes that works… sometimes it doesn't.

 

[Blanchflower]

Build a team - I mean a balanced team with players than play well together, our 1st team is great - our problem is when a vital 'cog' in the team gets injured we don't have like for like replacements.

Potential - in players like Saha, Friedel, Parker, and before them Kanu, Teddy, etc. He's picked up a lot of players that other clubs didn't want and got another couple of years out of them.

Likeability - how many of his ex-players are keen to or have re-signed for him?.....

Simple tactics - it's an attribute that only gets you so far and I agree has drawbacks. Generally it will see you win more than you lose though.

 

[Dannyboy]

From what those who have had a good experience with him say, he makes the players feel as though they are better than, in some cases they are. The players 'enjoy' playing for him - trust and honesty has been a key influence of his. Finally, the evidence suggests that he makes it seem less like a job and more like a game (that it feels like a job at all would be insulting but there we go).

All these are relevant of course; I'm sure Darren Bent would probably feel less inclined to play for Redknapp than van der Vaart but then you won't really find a manager universally liked since Bobby Robson died.

 

[Éperons]

Potential - in players like Saha, Friedel, Parker, and before them Kanu, Teddy, etc. He's picked up a lot of players that other clubs didn't want and got another couple of years out of them.

I did not follow the Friedel rumours that carefully, but he was available on a free while maintaining an absurd continued matches started streak. He certainly has performed better than I expected, but I don't think anyone suspected that he was finished.

Saha, afaict, has been mostly plagued by injury. Considering Blanc just capped him for France, it seems a bit odd to also consider him some kind of discarded spare part that just needed some TLC from a manager willing to take a chance. In fact, I would argue that Nelsen is the better example from this window--he hasn't gotten a game in in months, and now all of a sudden he's getting action on a far better team.

There were battles for Parker over the summer, if you believe the tabloids. The issue was whether West Ham was overvaluing him or not. It's hard to consider bringing in the reigning player of the year as seeing the potential in a "written off" player.

Teddy I'll grant (for sentimental reasons).

Kanu electrified for Portsmouth on his arrival, but he went dry, finishing that first season with 12 goals. Since then, he has scored only 8 more. Useful, but not diamond in the rough territory… Imagine if we had a forward with 8 goals in 5 seasons…

So I'm not disagreeing, but I just don't see these players either obvious cast offs or as obvious successes

 

[Burko]

Self-promotion and preservation - "2 Points from 8 games"

Insulting his own players - "Sandra could have scored that"

Eye for talent - Bale couldn't get near the side until benny got injured, we all knew he was quality but HR couldn't see it

Tapping up - "He's a top, top player, but we haven't done anything there yet"

Tax avoidance - "That money was not for a bonus even though the percentage bonus I was asking for correlates directly to the amount i received"

Insulting fans - "People who come here and don't enjoy what we do are idiots"

Insulting fans pt2 - I don't have a quote for this one, but generally when his tactics are questioned he just says that he is the manager and everyone else doesn't understand football.

Obviously he does something right because he gets results, but he frustrates the hell out of me whenever he opens his mouth (all the time)

 

[Dannyboy]

If and when he leaves at the end of the season it will be a strange situation; I have never completed warmed to him but neither have I felt dissociated from him - he is who he is and always has been. I would prefer a manager who I respect a little more and conducts themselves with a little more grace....but is able to do so alongside being successful - and there aren't very many of those.

 

[Abbey Yid]

Self-promotion and preservation - "2 Points from 8 games"

Insulting his own players - "Sandra could have scored that"

Eye for talent - Bale couldn't get near the side until benny got injured, we all knew he was quality but HR couldn't see it

Tapping up - "He's a top, top player, but we haven't done anything there yet"

Tax avoidance - "That money was not for a bonus even though the percentage bonus I was asking for correlates directly to the amount i received"

Insulting fans - "People who come here and don't enjoy what we do are idiots"

Insulting fans pt2 - I don't have a quote for this one, but generally when his tactics are questioned he just says that he is the manager and everyone else doesn't understand football.

Obviously he does something right because he gets results, but he frustrates the hell out of me whenever he opens his mouth (all the time)

If I could give 20 rep points for this I would, sums up my thoughts on him perfectly.

Although i'd also add to the list his seemingly bipolar "we're going to win the league" then next week "nah fuck off, we're overachieving by being in the top 4" (those weren't exact quotes, just the gist).

I've never warmed to him, but on the other hand I can't think of anybody that could be manager and do a better job than he's doing, so I button it up and smile politely.