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Dearth of young talent will be death of our game, says Harry
Tom Collomosse12 Mar 2009
Harry Redknapp today bemoaned the lack of top-class English youngsters in the modern game as he looks to strengthen his Tottenham squad for next season.
During Martin Jol's reign as boss from 2004 until 2007, Spurs became known as a haven for the most promising English footballers of the day, with current Spurs quartet Aaron Lennon, Tom Huddlestone, Jermaine Jenas and Michael Dawson all moving to White Hart Lane while the Dutchman was in charge.
That philosophy was abandoned by Jol's ill-fated successor Juande Ramos, who brought in a collection of players from all over the world - to little success.
But although Redknapp is keen to buy English, he believes the cupboard is almost bare.
The Spurs boss told Standard Sport: "If I could find good, young English players, I would, but it is very, very difficult.
"You can go out and make a point of buying English players, but if they're not good enough, it's a waste of time. I do think there is a dearth of top young English players. We're certainly not over-loaded. I think the group of players we have in the national team at the moment are the best we have had for a long time. But I fear that they are also the best we will have for some years to come."
Despite suffering only one defeat in their last seven matches in the Premier League, Spurs are still just five points above the drop zone, and face a tough run of fixtures, starting with a trip to fourth-placed Aston Villa on Sunday.
Guus Hiddink's rejuvenated Chelsea are at White Hart Lane on 21 March, before Spurs travel to Blackburn - another team fighting relegation - two weeks later. Redknapp's men also travel to Liverpool and Manchester United before the end of the campaign, and have tricky home games against West Ham and Newcastle.
After taking over last October, Redknapp said he would quit as manager if he failed to keep Spurs in the top flight - and the 62-year-old remains convinced he would walk away should the club drop into the Championship.
He added: "That's how I would feel, but I don't see that happening. I don't see it as an issue.
"When I took over, I was very confident we would stay up, and I still am."
Reader views (7)
Rent-a-quote Harry strikes again. Stop buying over-priced, average foreigners and people might start taking you seriously.
- Roy Naldo, Hornchurch, UK, 12/03/2009 17:15
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Oh, look! Another article hung on what Harry Redknapp thinks or doesn't think about something, "as he looks to strengthen his Tottenham squad for next season". How's he doing that, then? It's still early March in this season, three months from a transfer window and barely five weeks since the closure of the last one. Less empty chat, more focus on present tasks, please, Mr Redknapp, and don't tell everyone yet again that you're doing that, just do it quietly and we'll see for ourselves that's what's happening.
- Peter, London W11, 12/03/2009 17:02
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Harry has been guilty of denuding the Premiership of English players as any manager.
He has brought in no end of ordinary foreign players who have failed to light up and kept good English players in the lower leagues. The recent FA and Carling cup performances by the likes og Burnley, Swansea etc show that there are skillful players who if given the oppetunities that the foreign players get then they will develop into better players
- Tomfitz, Loughborough, 12/03/2009 15:01
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We have to be thankfull for the non premiership clubs as they are the one's who produce good quality footballers. Why the premiership is allowed all the money for non development of English players is beyond me. More money should be given to lower league clubs as they are the ones who are saving our future in the game.
- Joe, Swanley Kent, 12/03/2009 14:58
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How can we coaches produce these players, clubs take 20 players, only 2 might make it..Stop buying these over priced foreign players, who don't understand how to fight and roll their sleeves up...Harry we have them, we have good coaches, lets coach them to become better players! Thats why some of use do coaching badges!
- Adrian, london, 12/03/2009 13:45
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Is this the same moaning Harry Rednapp that has just signed Palacios, Keane, Chimbonda & Cudicini, none of whom are English? In reality the English players are simply not good enough, proven by England's failure to qualify for the world cup in 1974 & 1978 at a time when the old first division contained virtually no foreign players. Since the commencement of the Premership we have been able to see some of the best players in the world & I for one have throughly enjoyed it. We tried an English national manager & he failed to qualify for the Euros. The strange thing is that we recently lost to Arsenal youth in the F A Youth cup & there were many quality young English players on show... Bostock, Wilshere etc. Maybe Harry should just concentrate on signing the best players for next season irrelevant of their nationality or is this going to be his excuse for failure. Come back Martin Jol all is forgiven.
- Rob Hotspurs, South London, 12/03/2009 13:21
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I don't understand why we don't give our current younger players more of a chance at first team level. Bale Gunter Bostwick to name just a few should should all be played more often. Okay our league position is not great and points are at a premium but these players were bought for big money and should be given more opportunity to show what they can or can't do!
- Cormac, Whitstable Kent, 12/03/2009 13:12
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