One can say a lot about Tottenham Hotspur under Harry Redknapp, but the one thing they were not was boring.
During his time in North London, the veteran English manager brought to the club many of his old players, as has been his wont, but also new ones. Here, we present to you our top 5 Redknapp signings at Tottenham.
Peter Crouch
We might as well put “Crouchy” and Defoe in the same section here. The quintessential “big guy and little guy up top” pair started a total of 51 games for Spurs, having also played together under Redknapp at Portsmouth.
Given his well-trodden career, it often goes under the radar that Crouch arrived onto the senior scene after graduating from the Spurs academy, though he was quickly shipped off to QPR and had to make his way up. Redknapp’s experience with him at during their time on the south coast prompted the former to bring him back to Spurs in 2009 for €10.5 million.
The Premier League centurion’s overall record for Spurs stands thus: 93 games, 24 goals, 21 assists.
Jermain Defoe
Defoe’s return to Tottenham under Redknapp is particularly of note because had it not been for his time with Redknapp at Portsmouth, where Spurs had shipped him off to in 2008, he may have not returned to Spurs for €16.4 million when he did.
Defoe would actually go on to have a third spell with the Lilywhites as well, during the 2014 Major League Soccer off-season when he returned on loan from Toronto. His overall record for Spurs stands thus: 363 games, 143 goals, 31 assists.
Robbie Keane
Another Premier League centurion, and another player who had multiple stints at Tottenham. Keane was also brought back to Spurs by Redknapp for €16.7 million after his underwhelming spell at Liverpool.
Keane had spells with many Premier League clubs, but nowhere did his star shine as brightly as it did at White Hart Lane. In all, he scored 122 goals and provided 35 assists for Spurs in 306 games.
Kyle Walker
Yes. Walker’s been around the block long enough to have actually been brought to Spurs by Redknapp back in the noughties, such is his longevity. The Englishman arrived at White Hart Lane in the summer of ’09 from Sheffield United for €5.9 million. He would go on to make 229 appearances for Spurs before moving on to Man City for €52.7 million and becoming one of the greatest fullbacks in English football history.
Luka Modrić
Modrić would have made the cut even without his Real Madrid exploits. Arriving at Spurs in ’08 for €22.5 million, Croatia’s greatest of all time would go on to make 160 games for Spurs, delivering 17 goals and 24 assists before moving to Los Blancos for €35 million in 2012.
Redknapp has visited High Wycombe to try and find the town’s worst football team.
The 77-year-old, who also managed Bournemouth, West Ham United, Queens Park Rangers and Birmingham City, has joined forces with Specsavers in the town to find a grassroots team that is in desperate need of help.
The community opticians and audiologists is giving one local club a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become Specsavers’ Best Worst Team and turn its fortunes around with face-to-face training from Harry as well as money-can’t-buy experiences usually reserved for elite clubs only.Last season, Harry helped Cwm Albion overcome three years of consecutive defeats and a staggering -191 goal difference, but getting 50 goals and seven wins for the Swansea Senior League Division 4 side.
Speaking about his return to the dugout, Harry said: “I’m over the moon to be teaming up with Specsavers again. If the terrific season with the lads at Cwm Albion is anything to go by, it’ll be a good laugh.
“I was bowled over by the grit, determination and spirit of last season’s Best Worst Team, so I can’t wait to meet the team that’s got what it takes to be this season’s worst.
“I’ve got some fantastic surprises up my sleeve, so let’s see who’s up for it!”