When generosity stretches too far
Redknapp has rode to the rescue by securing a £5m deal for defender Younes Kaboul that has saved Pompey from avoiding the sad statistic of becoming the first ever Premier League club to slide into administration.
He was severely criticised by supporters when he returned to receive the freedom of the city in October 2008, just days after quitting for Spurs, but may now have regained hero status after throwing Portsmouth a lifeline.
Redknapp’s mission for a Champions League place suffered a blow at St Andrew’s after Liam Ridgewell popped up at the death to deny Spurs only their second away win in nearly three months. But the Spurs boss was still left to reflect on the sad state of the club he led to the FA Cup final, insisting that he would have walked out long ago if he had been forced to suffer the same soap opera as Avram Grant.
He said: “I spoke to Peter Storrie on Saturday morning who said he needed the Kaboul deal to happen otherwise they were going into administration. They needed to sell one as it was desperate for them. They keep selling players but I don’t know where all the money goes.
“How many is that they have sold – it is about £100m worth? No one seems to know who owns the club or who owns the land or what. No one seems to know and it is scary. Avram and I must speak on the phone four times a day. He doesn’t know what is going on and I feel sorry for him. He said on Friday when I spoke to him that they had to sell Kaboul.
“They didn’t want to sell him but if they don’t get the £8m or whatever they are going to get then they can’t survive. You need to know who these people are who own the club.
“People can’t walk in and then walk out. No-one knows who they are. I don’t think I would have been there for long like this.” Kaboul will be needed to cut out the defensive lapses that are ruining Spurs’ chances of moving further ahead of the likes of Liverpool and Aston Villa in fourth place. After a tedious first half Spurs finally started showing why they are competing for a place at the top table when Jermain Defoe rammed in his first league goal of 2010.
But Vedran Corluka’s dreadful defending allowed Ridgewell to steal in at the far post to volley in an equaliser one minute into added time.
Redknapp moaned: “It is going to be tight and a close-run race. Man City are going to be right there and Liverpool. We have all done well but we will be right in there at the death competing, make no mistake about that.”
Birmingham are now facing a race against time to sign a striker before the transfer window slams shut – with a £9m bid for Spurs striker Roman Pavlyuchenko rejected on the eve of this game. Only £5m has been spent out of the £40m promised by the Hong Kong tycoon and Big ‘Eck is desperate to make a ‘trophy signing’ before today’s 5pm deadline.
He will surely not make a shrewder signing than midfielder Barry Ferguson who again proved how influential he has been since a £1.25m move from Rangers.
And team-mate James McFadden insists Ferguson should be recalled to the Scotland set-up, after being banned for the infamous ‘Boozegate’ scandal back in April.
He said: “I’ve spoken to Barry a couple of times but I think he’s still to make his decision. It would be great for the national side if he comes back because I don’t think he’s had a bad game all season. In fact, I think he’s been brilliant every game for us.
“So I think it would be a massive boost for Scotland if he comes back. I’ve told him that I would like him to come back but at the end of the day Barry is a man and he can make his own decisions.
“Obviously I would prefer it if he would come back. It would be a big lift for the whole country. Everybody deserves a second chance.”
MATCH RATING: ** – This promised to be an absorbing encounter but was nearly as tedious as this month’s transfer window.
REFEREE: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire) 3/5 – The much maligned rookie still looks as if he has milk teeth but was given a relatively easy ride here.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
