Harry scarpers - again

For the second - and final - time, Harry Redknapp has turned his back on Pompey.

It's likely he had taken the Blues as far as he thought he could.

And the chance to finally manage a 'big' club in his beloved London was a chance he has craved for years.

The sad fact is, though, the only loser in all this is Pompey.

That, and the swiftness of Redknapp's departure, explains a lot of the anger from the fans he has left behind.

Where does Sacha Gaydamak go to replace a man with 25 years' managerial experience who is the most charismatic man-manager in the top flight.

He can't - and murmurs that Tony Adams is in line to be his replacement worry me.

While he is hugely respected, can he connect with the players and inspire them. I'm not sure.

Pompey, at this time, need someone with the strength of belief and personality to come in and kick-off another era, not limp along trying to maintain the previous regime.

Sam Alardyce springs to mind, while up-and-coming talent Slaven Bilic would represent a coup.

Former England manager Glenn Hoddle would be an interesting leftfield option.

The interviews from Harry Redknapp over the weekend indicate it was Pompey who couldn't say no to the money.

Rubbish. It was Harry who could not say no to Spurs. Everybody realises that.

It would have done Harry no harm if he, for once, spoke honestly and treated the Pompey fans with the respect they deserve.

Instead, he comes across as patronising the people who have worshipped him for years.

It's why he will never be wholly loved at Fratton Park because, for his hyperbole (I'm thinking quotes like 'I'm Pompey till I die'), he was ultimately in it for number one.

As someone eloquently posted on The News website.

Harry is a great manager. He is not a great man.

We're not for sale... sort of

If Pompey’s statement following the News of the World’s ‘For Sale’ story seemed like it contradicted itself, that’s probably because it did.

We aren’t for sale, went the statement, but if someone’s got the cash it’s all yours.

The club insist the ever-elusive Sacha Gaydamak is not actively looking to sell.

But, like any businessmen, if a healthy profit is on the horizon he wont need asking twice.

In denying the stories Pompey have - wittingly or unwittingly - revealed what a lot of Premier League clubs are thinking.

The likes of Everton and are all casting an eye to billionaires worldwide, praying an oil-rich Arab fancies a new hobby.

They aren’t the only ones either.

If things continue at the same pace, you’ll need a wealthy sheikh just to stand still.

As our columnist Alan McLoughlin said in his column yesterday (Monday), Pompey’s problem is they don’t come ready-made.

Unlike City, they don’t have a new stadium or training ground. That’s 100m quid before you start on the team.

As usual, Harry Redknapp cut through the boardroom waffle.

He said: ‘I don’t know if the owner wants to sell, but every club in the country has a price on its head.

‘When people talk about debts you have to realise that is the economic situation in football.

‘All clubs are in debt, but we have fantastic assets here on the pitch.’

The last bit is a worry. A few injuries here and a misjudged sacking there (it happens!) and suddenly those on-field assets look a bit flimsy.

At the risk of repeating what many Pompey fans have been saying for years, a new stadium and training ground is a must if Pompey want to hold their position in the top flight long term.

But like most fans, I’ll only believe it once the bricks and mortar are in place.

No credit crunch at City!

Man City’s mind-blowing takeover makes Sacha Gaydamak look like a pauper.

And the new multi-billionaire owners at Eastlands even dwarf Roman Abramovich’s millions.

It all puts credit-crunch stricken Pompey in the shade.

When Sacha took over from Milan Mandaric at the helm of Fratton Park, Pompey suddenly had more cash than a lot of their rivals.

But the game moves on at a lightening pace.

Suddenly, it looks like we needed Sacha’s cash simply to hold our own in the league rather than push on to the top six.

That’s the nature of the Premier League now. It’s the perfect playground for the world’s wealthiest people.

City have now taken that on to a totally new level.

The other debate raging is the role of a football manager.

Harry Redknapp, as he is quick to point out, has control other the make-up of his team.

Alan Curbishley didn’t at West Ham and Mark Hughes certainly doesn’t now.

It’s one of the major reasons Harry will not be tempted back to Upton Park, and why he eventually turned down Newcastle.

Let’s be honest, who wants Dennis Wise picking your players for you.
Newcastle are a mess and Pompey look in rude health in comparison!

Sacha has never hiden his dislike for The News - he’s never spoken to us.

But Pompey fans must be pleased he isn’t in the Fratton End on matchday in his replica kit downing pints before trying to sell Jermain Defoe behind Harry’s back.

We aren’t the richest, but we are still a proper football club.

Harry comes out fighting

Harry Redknapp’s response to the mauling at Stamford Bridge?
To come out fighting.

Our back page today has him in typical Harry mode.

Provoked and agitated by the inept display at the billionaire’s playground that is Stamford Bridge, Redknapp went on the offensive to remind everyone of his ability.

Mega-wealthy Roman Abramovich probably thinks the credit crunch is a biscuit - it’s far to say money is not too tight to mention for Luiz Felipe Scolari.

For Harry, though, the purse-strings have
been tightened. His reaction was to pore scorn on the likes of Scolari who can hand-pick his signings.

Redknapp said: ‘Any mug can go and buy loads of players for £20m or £30m.
'My missus could go and buy Kaka.
'We could all buy the best players in the world if we had an open chequebook, but it's called managing – I have to manage this football club.
'I love looking around for loans – I enjoy that side of the job and I love that part of the game. That's managing.’

Wounded by criticism of his tactics, Harry reared up on one journalist - not from The News - who had the temerity to question the choice of 4-4-2 over 4-5-1.

Harry knows he is one the best in the lower ends of the transfer market and, while he desperately wanted the money to go for Shaun Wright-Phillips and Nicky Shorey, scrapping around for loans and frees suits him.

But as our columnist, Sky Sports Ian Darke says in tomorrow’s (Wednesday) News, Pompey’s cash ran out with the shopping half done.
Peter Crouch and Younes Kaboul have arrived, but the need to balance the books has altered recruitment, hence the loan signing of Jerome Thomas from the Championship.

The revolution will have to be evolution.
Sacha Gaydamak’s pockets are not as deep as we, or Harry, had hoped.