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Tottenham v QPR: Harry Redknapp tells Mauricio Pochettino he has to guide Spurs to top-four finish
Queens Park Rangers manager believes anything less than securing a Champions League place would be a "disappointment" for the Argentine ahead of return to his former club
Harry Redknapp has revealed that he has still never been told why he was sacked by Tottenham Hotspur but has added to the pressure on Mauricio Pochettino by saying that the new manager has inherited a squad who can match his achievements.
Tottenham’s league finishes of fourth, fifth and fourth under Redknapp represented the club’s most consistently successful sequence since the Sixties but he was still relieved of his duties at Spurs two years ago.
Redknapp, now in charge of Queens Park Rangers, returns to White Hart Lane as an opposition manager for the first time on Sunday and, even after the sales of Gareth Bale and Luka Modric, is adamant that Pochettino should face the same expectation of delivering Champions League football.
Asked if Spurs could improve on finishing sixth last season, Redknapp said: “I think they need to. I think they need to try to get back into that top four again. They have got the players.
“They spent about £120 million last year in the transfer market so they are entitled to be a good team. They lost two wonderful, world-class players that you can’t replace but they have bought a lot of players in.
"They have got to be pushing for the top four. There’s nothing else. If you don’t finish in the top four, it’s a disappointment for Tottenham. That’s where they were for a couple of years when I was there. That’s where they expect to be.
“I like the manager. He had good players at Southampton. I think he did a great job at Southampton and I’m sure he’ll do a great job at Tottenham. I am hoping he does well.”
Redknapp’s final season at Tottenham became overshadowed by his own High Court case – he was cleared of tax evasion – and then the expectation that he would succeed Fabio Capello as England manager.
Spurs ultimately finished fourth but only after being in the top three for much of the season. So has anyone ever explained to him why he lost his job?
“No, not really,” said Redknapp. “I know the reason but I don’t want to repeat it. I didn’t go home, lay in bed and turn the lights off. That’s life. There’s far worse things going on. I didn’t have an inkling of it. I was disappointed, obviously. Three months earlier there was talk of a new contract so it was a big surprise. It just came out of the blue.
“We should have finished third but the West Brom goalkeeper threw in three goals against Arsenal [on the final day of the season]. I’ve seen some bad goalkeeping performances, but that took the beating. One minute I had two jobs – I’ve got the England job and the Tottenham job – two months later I haven’t got a job. Quite amazing wasn’t it?”
Andre Villas-Boas and Tim Sherwood have both also since lost their jobs at Tottenham, with Redknapp sad that there are now so few long-term managers in football.
“When you keep chopping and changing, they bring different staff, different players, it’s always difficult,” he said. “I have no enemies at Tottenham. I get on well with Daniel Levy [the chairman]. I shouldn’t get a bad reception should I? I didn’t do too badly. The Champions League football was probably as good as you’ve seen. It was absolutely amazing. I had a fantastic time, loved every minute of it. I’m looking forward to going back and seeing old faces and friends.”
Redknapp is also confident in his QPR squad, with new signings Leroy Fer and Mauricio Isla available and Eduardo Vargos due to have received the necessary clearance by next week. QPR would also be interested in any deals for Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha and Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.
“We are more or less there,” said Redknapp. “There’s no bad apples here at all. I think we are going to be OK this year.”
Having already recruited Glenn Hoddle to his staff, Redknapp also said that he had extended an “open invitation” to Paul Gascoigne to help coach some of the club’s younger players. Redknapp was distressed to see the emergence of photographsof Gascoigne being treated by paramedics after reportedly being found drunk outside his home in Poole. “I’d pick him up every morning at quarter to six at the top of his road,” said Redknapp, who also lives in Dorset.
Redknapp also gave his qualified backing to Rio Ferdinand’s stated ambition of becoming England manager. “There’s no reason why he can’t go on and manage but before he manages England, he needs to manage a football club,” Redknapp said. “Start at the lower level. I think that’s the best grounding of all. Lets hope Rio gets the opportunity - there’s no reason he can’t manage at the top level.”
Tottenham are interested in QPR striker Loic Remy although Redknapp said that he is now "confident" of keeping the France striker and would not want to include Michael Dawson or Andros Townsend as part of any negotiation.