Tonight:
9°c
Ledley King: It's about time we had an English boss
Tom Collomosse, Football Correspondent27.10.08
Ledley King expressed his relief today that Tottenham had finally appointed an English manager after the club claimed their first Premier League win of the season.
Bottom-of-the-table Spurs beat Bolton 2-0 at White Hart Lane, just hours after chairman Daniel Levy had sacked Spaniard Juande Ramos and replaced him with Eastender Harry Redknapp.
Sporting director Damien Comolli (French), assistant manager Gus Poyet (Uruguyan) and fitness coach Marcos Alvarez (Spanish) were also all shown the exit door.
Redknapp, who will be in sole charge of all buying and selling of players, has already appointed one English coach in Kevin Bond and will name former England international Tim Sherwood as his assistant manager this week.
Redknapp's son Jamie could also be joining the staff and King believes the new policy was long overdue, with David Pleat the last Englishman in charge in 2004. He said: "It is brilliant to have an English manager. It has been a while and I am looking forward to the relationship.
"Harry spoke to us for the first time on the morning of the game, and he gave us confidence. He said we had brilliant players in the team, and that he believed we could get out of this situation.
"It looked like a weight had been lifted off the players' shoulders. They played with freedom, and it was more like the old Tottenham."
Skipper King was playing his first League match since 31 August his second match in the space of four days and wants to play against Arsenal in the North London derby on Wednesday.
That would defy medical opinion that suggested the captain would not be able to play two games in a week because of a chronic knee complaint.
Redknapp wants King to be his leader, though, and needs him on the pitch for as many games as possible in order to have a realistic chance of maintaining their top-flight status.
King added: "I felt I could [play two games in succession]. Until you do it, you don't know, but now it's done, hopefully people will stop talking about it.
"It is important not to get carried away, and I am not about to try to play every game just yet. Will I be able to play at Arsenal on Wednesday? We'll see."
Redknapp has agreed a four-and-a-half-year deal, although the former West Ham boss has indicated he would walk away from White Hart Lane if he failed to keep the club up.
The deal is thought to be worth about £3m per year, while Spurs had to fork out £5million in compensation to Portsmouth.
Peter Storrie, Portsmouth's chief executive, also confirmed that there was nothing in writing to prevent Redknapp raiding Fratton Park for playing talent such as ex-Spurs star Jermaine Defoe.
The 26-year-old, who was also with Redknapp at West Ham, refused to be drawn on his own future. He did, however, concede that Redknapp's move to White Hart Lane had come as a surprise.
"It was a shock," he said. "But you've just got to get on with it. You've still got to play, the world doesn't stop. It happens and good luck to him.
Redknapp faces a massive test on Wednesday after the Gunners showed they are moving into top gear with a 2-0 win at West Ham yesterday.
Robin van Persie insisted after the game that Redknapp's arrival would make no difference to them.
He said: "I don't know and honestly I don't really care (what's happening at Spurs). We have our own team and we play whoever shows up. I am aware of their new manager Harry Redknapp so we will see what happens.
"The game against Tottenham is one on its own it doesn't matter where they stand."
Reader views (17)
E Sullivan usually infers it is a male in the absence of a prefix or a first name. At no point did I 'infer' that the Wise/Poyet combination was 'top class', only that their appointment, in my opinion, would have been more positive for the future than the one made. Indeed, I still wish Martin Jol was in charge. The 'Rob Gooner' comment was in response to another Spurs fans comment. Perhaps you should read Les's comment & take heed. I have heard nonsense, without serious thought, like yours from fellow Spurs fans for many years, usually accompanied by talk of how we will secure champions league football & finish above Arsenal. The sad fact is that despite being 46 years of age I have never witnessed us winning the league, whilst our greatest rivals have done it on many occassions. maybe we can learn from this.
- Rob Hotspurs, South London
Rob, I don't ahve selecetive reading (which is jsut as well due to lack of punctuation). If you are banging on about Wise/Poyet so much as the combination you want, and then saying Spurs need a top class manager, by inference it means you consider Wise a top class manager.
Also I did not say you were Rob Gooner, and also why have you assumed that I am a male.
- E Sullivan, London
The brainlessness of Spurs fans never ceases to amaze me. Here is Rob Hotspurs making some well made, if contentious, points about the state of his club, and all the semi-literate fools can do is hurl insults at him. Being aware of the mismanagement and failures to have affected White Hart Lane over the last decade does not automatically make you an Arsenal fan. It is patently obvious to anyone with even a passing interest in football.
- Les, London
Harry Redknapp is a typical Spurs manager, likely to be no more than a short-term solution.
- Peter, London
Mr Sullivan, you have selective reading skills, I did not say Wise was a top manager I merely commented that a partnership of Wise & Poyet would have brought the same short term mid-table position that Rednapp will achieve. An F A Cup & UEFA qualification is success for Portsmouth, but we want Champions League football at WHL. Unfortunately, Mr Levy didnt support Martin Jol sufficiently, which led to the rift which in turn left to his being sacked & Spurs ending up bottom of the premiership & the huge financial cost of rectifying this situation. Incidentally I am a Tory voter, blues of course! Incidentally I am not Rob Gooner, he is an Arsenal fan.
- Rob Hoptspurs, South London
Rob, Wise a top class manager? Since when? Redknap has more experience and worked wonders at Portsmouth. You must be so proud to be the only Spurs supporter to see what is wrong and needs to be doing! I suppose you support Labour too!!!!!
- E Sullivan, London
It is not RAMOS who was a bad manager but the some SPURS players were deliberately not getting good rsults to have him removed and they succeeded. How come ,the players, not even one hour with Rednapp and they win their first game.
It is clear that Ramos saw the wrong that some players were doing and removed them especially Bentley.
What is Rednapp going to do about it????
- A.Messina, Malta
Of course Rob Hotspurs is a gooner, he also contributes comments as Rob Gooner, theres nothing of interest happening at Cashburden Grove, like so many of his brethren he's a sad case......Rob GO AWAY !!
- Paxton, N17
if rob the so called hotspur thinks Poyet and Wise would have been a better long term bet,then please get on your next plane too your home..planet..if you know the facts then maybe you would have known that Poyet and Ramos lost the dressing room long ago as Jol did last year,have you actually been to the Lane or do you get all your views from the papers.AS for predicting a mid table finish ithink any fan with half a brain wpuld accept that at the moment after the start the team have made..spurs have had an unbalanced squad for years,long before Levy was in charge...as for telling me too wake up,see you at the lane if you know where it is
- Sparky, croxley green
Is rob Hotspurs really a Spurs fan? something tells me no.
- James Hennessy, London England
I am realistic Mr Baker, unlike most Spurs fans who are blinkered. We wont match Arsenal's success until we appoint a top class manager & support him. Although, Harry will be good in the short term, he is hardly the long term answer to achieving the success we crave. Indeed I repeat that a Wise/Poyet combination would have been a much more positive appointment, with of course Mr Levy's support. I am just so disappointed that Mr Levy didnt support Martin Jol & allow him a free reign. We are now back to square one & most fans seem pleased that we look likely to avoid relegation! My fellow Spurs fans amaze me at times.
- Rob Hotspurs, South London
Rob Hotspurs....your negativity we could do without thanks. You wish you were an Arsenal fan...would not wish that on my enemy. As for wanting Dennis Wise...get a grip...COYS
- Gareth Baker, North London
Sparky, you are truly misguided. I forecast the trouble we would be in & was totally correct. I will now forecast a mid-table finish from 'Harry'. Far from Mr Levy's promised top four finish under Ramos! We have sold our best players & replaced them with inferior ones, creating an unbalanced side in the process.Sacking Ramos & appointing Dennis Wise would have given us the same honeymoon period as having Harry. It will not give us the success we crave, which Martin Jol may well have achieved if he had received the support of Mr Levy. Incidentally I sometimes do wish I was an Arsenal fan, look at the success they have had, by the board giving the excellent Arsene Wenger total support. Wake up & be realistic Sparky.
- Rob Hotspurs, South London
In 1882 the Hotspur Football Club was formed by grammar school boys from the bible class at All Hallows Church. They were also members of Hotspur Cricket Club and it is thought that the name Hotspur was associated with Sir Henry Percy (Sir Harry Hotspur) who was "Harry Hotspur" of Shakespeare's Henry IV, part 1, and who lived locally during the 14th century and whose descendants owned land in the neighbourhood. In 1884 the club was renamed Tottenham Hotspur Football and Athletic Club to distinguish itself from another team called London Hotspur.
Welcome Home Harry Hotspur!!!!!
- Neil Blatt, L.A. California
what a lod of rubbish AGAIN FROM ROB HOTSPUR (GOONER),mr negative himself clearly unhappy he didnt get his dream team of wise and poyet who he has harped on about for weeks too take charge..it was ramos who would not pick ledley,he kept him for cup games not prem games..for gods sake rob if you cant be constructive in your comments go and get a life somewhere...leave te true spurs fans too carry their opinions.
- Sparky, croxley green
Rob, if you had read the papers, it was not Ledley King who said he could not play, but Ramos.
- E Sullivan, London
Very strange indeed how Ledley suddenly manages to play 2 consecutive games for the first time this season & has indicated he will be playing on Wednesday as well. The mind boggles.
- Rob Hotspurs, South London
