I've defended Redknapp many times on here and think he was the best man for Spurs at the time, think his was the best tenure for decades, didn't want him to go etc etc...
...BUT I really think that arguably the biggest criticism you can have of his reign was with regards to Bale. Let's not forget that Bale only got in the team under Redknapp, really, when Benny got injured. That seemed odd even at the time cos us Spurs fans had seen him for those first few games when he first joined and before he got injured. He was clearly absolute quality. (I really am not just saying this with the advantage of hindsight. It really was obvious - many on here would agree I'm sure). It was about Jan 2010 when Benny got injured and Harry gave him a proper run? I know there were injuries but there were definitely months when he was fit and not playing.
And if that quote (which I remember at the time thinking "eh?" to) about Harry thinking that, long-term, Bale was a left back IS from Feb 2011 that's still after Harry had been working with him for about two and half years and after Bale had scored that hat-trick in Milan and after numerous displays of fantastic, unplayable attacking play.
I would have thought that Harry did not still see Bale as a left back this time last year. (Assuming that he HAS changed his mind!). But that's not to say that his record on Bale does not have a couple of obvious blots.
And having said all that I still think that, as hinted at above, if Harry was still here and had had Modric and VDV sold out from under him we could well have still seen Bale doing what he's doing now more centrally. Harry never would have made such a bold change as to drop VDV to put Bale in a new position. But he may well have reacted to the changes in the squad the same way AVB has - necessity was very much the mother of invention for Redknapp.
I think you're being harsh, as two years ago, or when Bale broke into the 1st team, did you and or anyone believe Bale could play centrally? be honest? and the answer will be no.
Redknapp got the best out of Bale from an attacking left back position and he got the best out of Bale from the left wing.
When it became clear Bale needed to adapt to a new position, he also tried it and made Bale aware he had to learn how to play centrally and it actually worked at times last year, as I mentioned above, yet also lets not forget we had VDV last year BUT in the norwich game he played VDV & Bale centrally, swapping positions, so again its harsh (and unfair) to suggest his hand was forced.
Also, lets not forget Villas Boas, has tried Dempsey, SIggy, Adebayor & Holtby through the centre, its not like Villas Boas marked Bale as a central attacking midfielder from the outset, it was a position he grew into as the season progressed.
At the start of the season, how many fans on here viewed Bale as a central player? again just asking you or anyone to be honest, and I expect very few, if any and the general view throughout football was that Bale would be one of the best left sided players in the game.
I respect your opinions Lenny, but on this I would say you're being overly harsh as Redknapp was a superb for Bale and was a major factor in him progressing as a player.
