Redknapp keeps perspective ahead of Italian date

THERE are traditional methods to prepare ahead of the game Tottenham Hotspur fans have been waiting decades for.

Harry Redknapp, the Spurs manager, ignored the coaching manual when he woke up yesterday morning.

“What a day,” Redknapp said. “Kippers in the morning, a bit of toast and a nice big mug of tea. Inter Milan playing, then Liverpool and Everton, then you’ve got Blackpool playing Man City. All on television.”

Redknapp is in the mood to enjoy this week, for a number of reasons. Firstly, his side are playing Inter Milan in the Champions League group stages in a clash they worked for throughout last season.

They also travel to the San Siro knowing they have kept pace with the Premier League’s leaders.

The victory against Fulham on Saturday came on the same day Chelsea and Manchester United dropped points.

Tom Huddlestone, who scored a controversial winner at Craven Cottage, believes they should not be written off as title contenders.

“That’s a big statement to make – but the way the season is going everybody keeps taking points off each other,” said Huddlestone. “For teams that pick up consistency before and throughout Christmas, if you’re up there March or April time then you’ve got a great chance.”

“We’ve got the players for the manager to rotate, we just need to be more consistent.”

For Redknapp, the trip to Italy holds deeper significance. In 1990 he was involved in a car crash during the World Cup finals. The crash killed Redknapp’s close friend, Bournemouth managing director Brian Tiler, and four others.

“I still get into a car and I’ve been back to Italy, I go every year on holiday. It’s not as if I don’t go back there,” said Redknapp.

Yet the 63-year-old is unlike other managers in the way he appears to have a genuine perspective on football.

It can be heard when he speaks about his deal at White Hart Lane and how the contract is of little importance to him. Taking his team from the bottom of the Premier League to the San Siro is a ride he is determined to savour.

“It’s like on Friday morning,” he said. “You’re at the training ground and there was a little girl there, she’s probably about three-and-a-half. She’s got leukaemia. She’s having chemotherapy, her head’s been shaved and she’s absolutely gorgeous, and that puts it in perspective, doesn’t it?

“I’m out on the training ground, worried about football, and you walk off and there’s this mum and dad with their little girl. It’s their life.

“Sometimes you have to take a step back and look at everything and see what’s going on in the world.”

Redknapp’s laid-back approach appears to be rubbing off on his players. They are not going into the game against the European champions with fear.

Huddlestone said: “We’ve played against the likes of Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo and players like that week-in week-out in the Premier League. I think they’ll be similar to the way Jose Mourinho had them playing. They’ll be very organised as Rafael Benitez’s Liverpool team was.”

Fulham were upset with Huddlestone’s winner as William Gallas was in an offside position when the goal went in. Assistant referee Martin Yerby flagged but the goal stood after consultation with Mike Dean.

Mark Hughes, the Fulham manager, confronted the official at the final whistle but is confident he will not face sanctions from the FA.

“I can’t remember what I said; I just pointed and made a noise to be honest,” he said. “I didn’t go in an aggressive manner. I just gave my view and very quickly he said come and see me so I just walked away.

“There is no point in getting yourself in any trouble when really whatever I say and whatever he says won’t make any difference.

“I was 15 or 20 yards away from him; I don’t think I was in his face. It was a good job maybe that he was 20 yards away.”

Diomansy Kamara had given Hughes’ team the lead before Roman Pavlyuchenko levelled.

Kamara, after scoring his first of the season, said: “I’ve been given my chance, I played well and when you score you can get a lot of confidence and I hope more goals will come soon.

“Andy Johnson is coming back from his injury soon and we miss Bobby Zamora. But this is football. ”