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Harry Redknapp voices fears over British managers
8 Mar 2010
Harry Redknapp predicts a doomsday scenario for the dwindling number of British managers in the Barclays Premier League.
The Tottenham boss saw his side held to a goalless draw in an entertaining FA Cup quarter-final with Fulham, who are coached by fellow elder statesman Roy Hodgson.
Both clubs are performing admirably under the guidance of their respected English coaches, yet Redknapp believes they are part of a dying breed.
"Every club will have a foreign owner soon, the way things are going," he said.
"You get more foreign owners and you'll get more foreign coaches. The lifespan of a manager will get less and less.
"They will all be mega-rich men and they all want to win. They won't understand why they can't win the league. It will be like a revolving door eventually."
Redknapp believes club owners should look closer to home when appointing a new boss instead of taking the glamorous option of looking overseas.
"People should give English managers more of an opportunity," he said.
"There are some terrific managers in the Championship or below and they need to be given their chance.
"But foreign owners are going to be looking at people they know, people they've heard of and knew to be a great player. A big club will always go for that sexy name.
"Mark Hughes was doing a terrific job at Manchester City but even though we know he was a great player in this country, they want somebody else and that's how it works. I'd like to see more lads get the opportunity. There are some terrific managers down below.
"The boy Owen Coyle brought Burnley up and now he's moved to Bolton and they had a big result yesterday. They just need the chance and the opportunity."
If Redknapp needed evidence to validate his belief in British managers, it was provided by a pulsating second half at Craven Cottage.
Both teams adhered to their trademark passing game with Fulham, who were denied on several occasions by fine saves from Spurs goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, in control after the interval.
The inability of Bobby Zamora, Damien Duff, Brede Hangeland and Zoltan Gera to beat Gomes will weigh heavily on Fulham's mind after a first visit to Wembley since 1975 slipped through their fingers.
The advantage now passes to Spurs who will host the replay at White Hart Lane on March 24.
Reader views (5)
Just like English or British players, british managers should earn their stripes on merit and things shouldnt be done on favours basis for clearly incompetent people.
If British managers can coach properly defensively and attacking in the Modern way, be tactically aware during games and in terms of players picked to match opposition or tactically innovative, innovatively manage different type of cultural players and have the ability to analyse performances [for improvement] then they can get to the top. But they CANT thus Harry wants British managers to be given an help in hand that they dont deserve
- Sam, London, 09/03/2010 16:56
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English managers have rarely, if ever, prospered in the Premiership. Hoddle,Keegan, Redknapp, Big Scam, Peter Reid, Tel-boy, Curbishley, Bruce, Megson, Mccarthy, Dowie, Taylor, Sammy Lee, ............add your own mediocre example to the list. What have they achieved? An occasional cup run? Face it, we're just not up to it.
Sad innit?
- Gaz, london, 08/03/2010 15:31
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The last British manager of England was a certain Steve MacLaren, who failed miserably to even qualify for the European Championships. In the past, with English managers we failed to qualify for the World Cup Finals in 1974 & 1978. Under Sven & now Fabio we have qualified each time for the major international finals. Other than Fergerson, the most successful recent managers in the premiership are Wenger & Mourinho. Sorry Harry, British managers are simply not up to it.
- Rob Englander, Wembley, 08/03/2010 11:41
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I love it when british premier league managers tell us how good british managers are in the lower divisions.
They then tell us these guys should be given a chance at a big club!! These are the same managers who pack there teams with foreign players..
I feel if british players were given a chance to play in the premier league they would have a better chance of being coach/manager at the top.
So if premier club managers [british] start looking at lower divisions maybe it might start the ball rolling...
- Tom, London ., 08/03/2010 10:33
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Having seen the dire football Harry served up against Fulham, I for one would prefer to see a foreign manager at WHL & soon!
- Roobie Hootspurs, South London, 08/03/2010 09:20
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