Does responsibility lie at the door of Chairman Daniel Levy or Manager Harry Redknapp at such an important time with preparation for the imminent new season at such a crucial stage.Mixed messages are being received, so exactly whose plans are we adhering to?
Harry originally said before the start of the transfer window that he was looking for the arrival of two to three quality players to strengthen the squad.Daniel Levy interjected by saying we would have to sell before we could buy – that much we know for sure.
So immediately one begins to think is it just two or three new faces to come in, or two or three PLUS replacements for some of those being moved on or sold?
It is believed that two of Harry’s initial priority targets were Gareth Barry and Roque Santa Cruz who both surprisingly(ha!)ended up at Manchester City.The odds of us ever winning a tug of war against such a cash-laden club as City were indeed slim, but did we ever make a firm and serious offer for these players?
Three players have now arrived at the Lane in the shape of Peter Crouch from Portsmouth, and Kyle Naughton and Kyle Walker from Sheffield United.Walker is deemed only potential at this stage with it being mooted that he will probably be loaned back to the Blades for the season as part of the deal, so do the other two constitute the quality Harry was referring to?I am sure Peter Crouch certainly does as Harry knows exactly what he is getting in Crouchy having worked with him more than once before.Naughton has also proved to be a quality buy with the displays he has already produced, even though he may have caused the management to re-think their initial assessment of him and the stage of development they considered him to be at.
Didier Zokora and Chris Gunter were sold to help finance these deals and Gilberto has been released, yet the multi-million pound sale of Darren Bent to Sunderland has alarmingly, and one could say unnecessarily, been put on hold while Daniel Levy completes some unknown and unfinished business in America.
Getting our hands on this money would surely help us acquire the emergency cover urgently required at centre back with Harry publicly declaring his liking/preference for Sebastian Bassong from Newcastle, who in response has apparently shown encouraging warmth to the idea of joining Tottenham.
Strangely, even though we have our three first choice central defenders suffering from their various long term injuries, with the opening game of the season against Liverpool fast approaching, Harry has stated that he is in the dark regarding any bid(allegedly £10m)being made for Bassong!Just who is pulling the strings as regards transfer targets and acquiring them?
Harry has also been known to say that the Dutch goal king Klaas-Jan Huntelaar from Real Madrid is also a player he is very interested in.The player at this stage is still available having snubbed his nose at Stuttgart, and has declared a preference for plying his trade in the Premier League, but again we don’t seem to be genuinely listening to his obvious advances.
I am sure Harry fervently believes a deal could be swung with the comments he has made about the striker, but Daniel Levy will insist on working at his own pace and to his own agenda which may not totally be in harmony with his manager’s plans.
Rumours abound that Bentley, Hutton, Huddlestone, and Chimbonda are also up for sale and the likelihood is that Levy will insist on selling before he finances any further deals(apart from a CB)that Harry may have in mind.
It will all be down to a question of timing.We may as a consequence miss the boat on some of those that Harry had set his sights on.Joe Cole could also be a potential case in point even though we are met with nothing but denials from the Bridge.
Daniel Levy is nothing if not his own man while Harry can be considered too long in the tooth to play the political long game required sometimes, as his spats with Milan Mandaric his former Chairman lay testimony to.
It could be a case of the irresistable force meeting the immovable object…
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