Harry Redknapp vows Tottenham’s bid for Scott Parker was fair
Spurs Manager Harry Redknapp has denied reports from West Ham that their bid for Scott Parker has unsettled the player. Tottenham have been looking to strengthen a team which consists of a number of inexperienced players at the European level and Redknapp believes that the addition of Parker could be one of the two or three players he needs to make sure Tottenham do well in the UEFA Champions League.
West Ham co-owner David Gold made it clear that club Captain Scott Parker was not for sale, no matter what price was offered as he was the most important player at the club last season, when West Ham narrowly avoided relegation to the Championship.
Redknapp, however, maintained that the approach for Scott Parker was done through proper channels and that Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy would not have made a bid for a battling midfielder had there been no ‘encouragement’ from West Ham. The former Portsmouth manager seems to be suggesting that the player himself wants to be playing at a club participating in the Champions League, instead of being involved in relegation battles every year and that is why Tottenham made the bid.
Redknapp also pointed out that it was the Hammers who made a public announcement about the bid and if anyone is to blame for unsettling the player, it is West Ham not Spurs.
Tottenham will be competing in the qualifying stages of the UEFA Champions League and will be hoping they do not get knocked out before they even reach the group stages like Everton; the last team to break the hold of the big four (Manchester United ,Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool).
Redknapp insisted that experience was the key to success in the Champions League, pointing out that current European Champions, Inter Milan, won the competition with a number of experienced players, a lot of whom were over 30 years old.
Spurs finished fourth last season ahead of strong contenders such as Manchester City, Everton and Liverpool and will be looking to make their appearance in the Champions League a regular fixture, rather than a one-off.
Speaking to the media, after Spurs were hammered 4-1 by Spanish club Villareal in a friendly game, Redknapp revealed that he was also interested in bringing the 31 year old Wales International, Craig Bellamy to White Hart Lane. Redknapp, however, admitted that he does not yet know if Manchester City want to part with the player but following reports by Roberto Mancini suggesting that Bellamy may not make his 25 man squad for the coming season, Spurs are likely to step up their interest in him.
Redknapp has also spoken of his desire to strengthen his defensive units after Jonathan Woodgate was ruled out for the foreseeable future with a knee injury. Woodgate has struggled with the injury for most of his career and this time it is being suggested that it may lead to the player retiring. That in addition to Ledley King’s groin injury and weak knees means that Spurs will be desperately short at the back, with an exhausting fixture list coming up, unless Harry Redknapp manages to find some suitable players to deputize for those out with injuries.
Spurs have so far been relatively quiet in the transfer market after huge investments in the previous seasons, only bringing in 21 year old Internacional midfielder Sandro for a reported 6 Million Pounds. If Redknapp manages to get Parker and Bellamy, the Spurs squad will most likely have the depth required to compete in all competitions without fielding a weakened team.
Tags: