I can’t say I’m surprised by the departure of Harry Redknapp. Since I started supporting Queens Park Rangers in 2008 we’ve gone through seven managers — 13 if you count the caretakers. Indeed, it’s a miracle he’s lasted this long. The club was relegated during his first term in charge and we only returned to the Premier League thanks to a last-minute goal by Bobby Zamora in the play-off final against Derby at the end of last season. I was at that match and Derby were easily the better side.
If Harry had been sensible, he would have announced his retirement after that game and gone out on a high. But what Enoch Powell said of politicians is also true of football managers: their careers always end in failure. QPR have been dismal this season, in spite of the £36.5 million Harry spent on new players over the summer. We’ve lost our last 12 away games, a Premier League record, and are languishing second from bottom. Avoiding relegation will take a miracle.
Harry has a reputation for being a wizard in the transfer market — part of his second-hand car salesman persona — but his wheeling and dealing has done little for QPR. His big-name signing over the summer was Rio Ferdinand, the former Manchester United player who was supposed to be the linchpin of a new 3-5-2 system that Harry put great faith in. That system was abandoned within two weeks and Ferdinand was dropped to the bench.
I’m trying to control my feelings about Harry, but the timing of his departure makes it difficult. His official reason for leaving is because he needs a knee operation, but why did that only become apparent the day after the transfer window closed? If he was going to go, it would have been better to leave at the beginning of January, thereby giving his successor an opportunity to bring in some new players.
Comments
Join the debate for just £1 a month
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just £1 a monthAlready a subscriber? Log in