English Premier League: Harry Redknapp taunts Manchester City’s owners
The outspoken Englishman has again made one of the most controversial statements in football after comparing Manchester City’s owners to Saddam Hussein. Harry is managing Tottenham at the moment and his team takes on Manchester City in their first match of the English Premier League season, which starts off from the 14th of August, 2010.
Harry led his team to a fourth placed finish last season. It seemed like a dream come true for all the loyal spurs supporters who had seen their club finish below the top four under their ex-manager Martin Jol. Spurs have been trying to consistently break into the top four bracket in the English Premier League since the leagues initiation in 1992.
Manchester City on the other hand have had a very different decade. They have languished in mid table mediocrity and have also been relegated from the English top flight during the last decade of the Premier League. However, ever since City’s new owners took over, the club has turned into a top spending one, which has resulted in a rise in popularity and as well as a rise in standing amongst English football’s finest.
Tottenham finished above Manchester City last season and thus secured a UEFA Champions League spot for the upcoming 2010-2011 season. Their manager, Harry Redknapp has even said that the London club can challenge for the Premier League title this season. City have spent the summer transfer window reinforcing their squad and have bought players such as David Silva from Valencia, Yaya Toure from Barcelona.
It is now a known fact in World football that City have much more in their transfer kitty than Tottenham, thus it will be harder for Spurs to combat against City’s newly formed squad of superstars for a Champions league place. Harry Redknapp commented on the fickle nature of football fans, saying that they do not care about what kind of people the owners actually are as long as they pump money into the club they own.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who owns Manchester City has invested heavily in the club which has propelled them to great heights both internationally and locally in England. Tottenham manager added that, there is nothing one can do to stop City, as the team in blue brings in more and more quality players into the English league.
He went onto state that, even Saddam Hussein can own a football club but the fans won’t care as long as he funds the team and the club’s transfer activity. He also said, that he would not be surprised if the fans started signing “there is only one Saddam” in that specific club due to the owner’s contribution in terms of finances.
The former Portsmouth manager said that such extensive spending, the likes of which City are quickly becoming masters off, makes his job much more difficult. He reiterated that his team finished above Man City in last season’s league campaign and will be looking to do the same again.
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