Spurs Brains Trust

[perrymanlegend]

Now we have been dissecting over the last few weeks the fact that Harry is a great motivator of players but a crap tactician.
My question is - if Harry doesn't know how, who does?
Sitting next to him on the bench we have Joe Jordan, Kevin Bond,Clive Allen and a few peripheral figurers the subs don't count they wouldn't know anyway).
In the stands there is Tim Sherwood and Les Ferdinand.
One of them must have an idea about how the team is playing and where it isn't working.
Why doesn't he consult them or if he is is he taking any notice- my answer probably doesn't give a sh1t he'll do it his way, if that is the case what the hell are they all doing there?
Rant over!

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

It's ultimately Redknapp's decision.
I'm sure that people have pointed it out to him, but with his tendency to play favourites, it's probably a little risky to go against what he does too much.

Some of his choices which are supposed to create solidity in the side actually make us more vulnerable at the back.
Bale playing in his natural role basically pins back both the full-back and the winger on his side, a lot of the time.
Adebayor occupies two centre-backs on his own, so a midfielder has to try to pick up van der Vaart.
When we change the system, all of those players are freed up and can cause us defensive problems.

 

[humanbeingincroydon]

Sherwood couldn't spot two inelligible players starting a NextGen game...

 

[Hoddle is a god]

To be fair, though, we played well enough against both United and Everton to have deserved to get something from each game. Our problem is that we simply cannot score any goals. Had we RVP in our side, how many of those 22 shots at goal against Everton would he have converted?

 

[humanbeingincroydon]

Why is it that the more shots we have, the less of them go in? That game a couple of seasons back where we made Boaz Myhill look like Lev Yashin was ludicrous - we had something like 27 shots on target, yet ended goalless.

 

[NSIS]

Surely one of these ex-players can see that when Spurs play narrow, you don't break teams down. When you play with width- Bale and Lennon supported by two attacking full backs, you do. Three of those four players were available for each of the games v Utd and Everton, yet rather than bring in a like for like replacement for the missing player, Spurs play a narrow midfield, which was a defensive tactic which backfired. Why didn't anyone in that Spurs back room staff appear to spot this and look to change it?

That's correct, Luke. Our game is mostly about width and pace. For me, it's been the speed with which we attack other teams that has caused them most problems. It gives them no time to reorganise. Once you take that away, teams that can defend competently, like Everton, will frustrate you all day long. Then you over extend yourselves, get whacked on the break, and now you're in trouble.

 

[Spurf]

They've all got good jobs with a decent pay packet and each has his own area of responsibility. It will depend how Harry likes to manage. Does he invite criticism or not, I don't know. Joe appears to be his second and remembering Joe's style of play I wouldn't think he goes in for the subtle. Maybe they know it's best to shut up and stick to your own area and avoid rocking any boats.

Too many unknowns to form an opinion on this one. Spurcat might be able to tell us more.

 

[notsosmartspur]

Thats just it Spurf, you think Jordan is his 2nd in command, just as many would think Bond, quite honestly I don't know how or why we have all of them, let alone what order of hierarchy, its asking for 'too many chiefs' syndrome for me. Makes me laugh to see Harry, KB, Joe and Clive all lined up. As for their individual relationships with Harry, god only knows.

 

[O.Spurcat]

The tactics are devised by Harry and Bond on their daily commute from the south coast to the training ground. No idea how much input Bond has to this chat, but it's reasonable to say the two of them are pretty much 'joined at the hop' in their ideas of how the team should shape up etc. The pair of them go back a long way and Kevin's father, John Bond, remains a close confidante of Harry and does some scouting for Spurs from his base in the north-west.

Out on the training ground, Bond works on the defensive play, with Clive Allen working with the strikers. Harry tends to oversee things rather than take charge. Tim Sherwood has very little involvement with the first team and Les Ferdinand remains a part-time employee and moves between working with the first team strikers and Sherwood's fringe squad and the NextGen players.

Joe Jordan who is very much a part of the Redknapp/Bond team, is the technical man and works on all the DVD's received on opposing teams, the scouting reports, DVD's on our loan players games, and collates them all and presents then the other members of teh coaching staff and where appropriate, the players.

Clive Allen who played a major role in the development squad before Harry arrived, has been integrated into "Team Redknapp", and has become a valuable assisitant.

This backroom staff also includes Tony Parks our keeper coach. I have dealings with Parks, and whilst he is a difficult guy to get to know, I have no doubts whatsoever, that he knows his stuff and is a valuable asset to our club.

 

[perrymanlegend]

Thanks SC at least it gives a clear idea of the hierachy.
However before the Everton game started I had a feeling that we would struggle to break them down,the fact that we didn't alter tactics just personnel worried me and so it proved.
I thought Bale had a free role, perhaps that has changed.

 

[O.Spurcat]

perrymanlegend - I think Harry's response of "well Bale plays RM/RW for Wales", is a reasonable response to his critics over playing Bale there on Saturday. Personally, I do believe Bale is capable of doing a job there. But, this was all brought about by one player (Lennon), being unavailable. To do what Harry did, and make 3 crucial changes in our shape, to cover for this 1 absentee, was plain daft.

So we had Bale in a less effective position, Modric in a less effective position and a CM pairing of Parker, who is showing signs of wear and tear after all his efforts , and Sandro, who despite the "love-in" so many 606ers have with him, is very naive in parts of his game, and at the moment, doesn't look fully fit.

Like you say, when we saw the line-ups befor KO, it was plain we would struggle to break them down.

 

[notsosmartspur]

Interesting read Spurcat , raises one question for me, how do you rate John Bonds opinion, seemed to have more downs (literally!) than ups from what I can make of him. I have tbh honest and say he'd dropped out of top flight management well before I took notice of such things, one thing I did spot, when he took over Burnley, getting rid of Lee Dixon, Trevor Steven and Brian Laws, not the best judgement there! , no doubt they were to move on eventually, but he could have hung on to them abit longer! He does show the trait HR has of bringing in trusted and experienced players though.

 

[O.Spurcat]

Evening mate

I actually know a bit about John Bond as I was living and working in Norwich when he was manager there. A very flamboyant guy who was always fond of the sound of his own voice and was always quick to promote his son.

He moved to Norwich from Bournemouth where he was hugely successful and surrounded himself with his tried and trusted coaching staff and playing staff. The likes of Mel Machin, Ted MacDougall, Phil Boyer, Tony Powell (who later in life, underwent a sex change !! ), all enjoyed great times at Carrow Road under Bond Senior.

He did so well there that the chairman, the late Sir Arthur South, gave Bond a 10 year contract which was unheard of. Bond later decided to move to Man City where he took over a side down in the bottom of the then First Division, and they then showed title winning form to escape relegation and of course reach Wembley to get beat by Ricky's wonder goal.

That Bond's career later took a dramatic decline, was in part due to the fact that he demanded funds from the Man City board which were not forthcoming. At the time he was having an affair with a local business mans wife and he borrowed funds from her to finance the purchase of a player the board had refused to release funds for. When the board discovered this, he was sacked.

For sure, the twilight of his managerial career might not look too imprressive, but you can see he bears similar characterisitics to our Harry, and can see why Harry values his opinions.

 

[notsosmartspur]

Cheers for all that Spurcat, as it goes thats jogged the grey matter, i do remember a bit of a heyday at Norwich back then with Bond at the helm.

I do recall the first 3 players you mentioned, but as for Toni! well I couldn't possibly recognise someone I don't recognise today!

We often had scouts from Norwich watch our school games, there was a bit of a golden era for a few years, where quite a few seriously good lads from where I live were watched and taken on...(and some not! ) Mark Barham was one, won the league cup with Norwich and played twice for England before injury ended his career well short. Jeremy Goss was another who went to Norwich.

What an odd way to buy a player! I wonder if thats what Wenger was trying for, when he was stuffing that old trout in Paris when Arsenal had no money!

 

[Spurf]

Great stuff Spurcat thanks.

It's really valuable to have your well informed comments on here.

 

[notsosmartspur]

Anyway getting back to business, I only see only self inflicted tactical misfortunes in MF, but I do see problems in defence and attack, a lot of them the same for a while now, I suppose the thread is asking now if Bond and Allen are up to it.

Personally I'd say its the players, don't get me wrong we have some great ones, but perhaps too many only good at one or two things, not enough versatility. Move them about the pitch as we've seen and they become mainly anonymous. Look at United's wingers for eg, they have Nani, Young and Valencia, equally threatening and comfortable left or right, how many do we have?...none!. Point being, you can only work with what you've got.

...as smart cruises past the the 10,000 point mark.

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

Cheers for the information, SC.

Couldn't help notice that amongst our legion of coaches, there was no mention of anyone working on set-pieces!
Slipped through the cracks?

 

[perrymanlegend]

Back in Jan/Feb we had a well oiled and fully functioning team- Lennon & Rafa were in and out of the team due to injury- but basically the same players.
Modric in CM, Bale roaming m/f but mainly on the left, all of a sudden Harry decides to alter this and look what happened. We are currently playing a system to combat our oppo, not playing as before and letting them worry about it.

 

[O.Spurcat]

Cheers for all that Spurcat, as it goes thats jogged the grey matter, i do remember a bit of a heyday at Norwich back then with Bond at the helm.

I do recall the first 3 players you mentioned, but as for Toni! well I couldn't possibly recognise someone I don't recognise today!

We often had scouts from Norwich watch our school games, there was a bit of a golden era for a few years, where quite a few seriously good lads from where I live were watched and taken on...(and some not! ) Mark Barham was one, won the league cup with Norwich and played twice for England before injury ended his career well short. Jeremy Goss was another who went to Norwich.

What an odd way to buy a player! I wonder if thats what Wenger was trying for, when he was stuffing that old trout in Paris when Arsenal had no money!

Notsosmartspur - I remember Mark Barham very well, he was an extremely talented footballer. Jeremy Goss is still at the club, working with the youngsters I believe. There was a time when they had sold more £1 million players than any other club and that was started during Bond's days there.

Bond's number two in those days, was Ken Brown who is another chum of Redknapp's and is one of our scouts reporting on the East Anglian sides. The main point of me mentioning this, is to show that not only does Harry surround himself with his tried and trusted coaches, he also does the same with his ex-West Ham mates and gives them scouting work for Spurs.

 

[O.Spurcat]

Cheers for the information, SC.

Couldn't help notice that amongst our legion of coaches, there was no mention of anyone working on set-pieces!
Slipped through the cracks?

I perhaps shouldn't say this, but I am in a good mood so I will....

I was at the training ground a couple of weeks ago and the first team were having an afternoon training session and were going through some set piece work under the eye of Clive Allen. Harry and Bond were nowhere to be seen and Joe Jordan was about but not involved with this particular session.

Basically the players were pissing about. Deliberately over hitting the ball so the aimed recipient of the cross, stood no bloody chance whatsover of getting it, or aiming it accurately and then the player who had received the ball would belt it so bloody hard at Cudicinni from about 6 inches out that he was diving out of the way of it to avoid getting hurt.

Maybe they were coming to the end of a hard session, I don't know, but from the 10 minutes or so that I witnessed, there was bugger all serious work being done, and then all of a sudden Clive Allen gathered all the balls up and said "see you in the morning lads".

I walked away thinking "no wonder we're crap on set pieces" !!!!