Press are playing Harry’s game

Jan 11 2009 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun

LET’S get this straight: football journalists love Harry Redknapp.

No, let’s get it straighter still: football journalists south of Watford love Harry Redknapp.

And so the rest of us — Middlesbrough FC included — must suffer him.

You see, few managers talk a better game than ‘appy ‘Arry. Or talk more often.

His mobile number is never out of circulation. His mobile is rarely switched off, but often engaged. Engage him, and few subjects are off limits.

This Cockney sparra sings like a canary — and in a way which gives even hardened hacks a warm, fuzzy feeling inside . . .

By making them feel like they’re his mates.

Needless to say, that’s a sensation few sportswriters are used to in an age when they are routinely — some might say deservedly — given the cold shoulder.

So the next time you wonder why Tottenham’s manager gets such a fair hearing in the national Press, think on.

Thing is, in giving the papers what they want, I and more than a few other people reckon Redknapp gets a lot more in return.

A lot more, like Jermain Defoe and, possibly, Stewart Downing.

Middlesbrough don’t appreciate Spurs’ open pursuit of their player. Despite Harry’s protestations of innocence, I can’t say I blame them.

Last week, as Boro accused Spurs of unsettling Downing, Redknapp was at pains to stress that an increasingly rancorous saga had little to do with him.

“The way it works with transfers here is that I tell the chairman, Daniel Levy, we need to get players in and here’s the name of someone I want,” he said.

“I ask him to ask if the club are interested in selling and if he would make an enquiry and ring them to see if there’s a deal to be done.

“I don’t get involved any more in any shape or form . . .”

The only words missing were “honest, guv”.

Thing is, his chairman isn’t always the only person that hears about Harry’s transfer targets.

Who was it that told the papers on October 26 that “if he ever came back up for sale then I’m sure we would be interested”?

The who was Rednapp.The he was Portsmouth’s Jermain Defoe. October 26 was the day after Harry arrived at Spurs.

Downing? Why, before Spurs made a bid for him eight or nine days ago — almost a week before, in fact — Redknapp said: “I like Downing but I don’t know whether Middlesbrough want to sell him.”

By pure coincidence — how could it be anything else? — Defoe was linked with Tottenham throughout November and December before, er, joining them on Tuesday gone.

Oh, and Downing, pictured right handed in a transfer request at Boro last Monday.

“We can only make an offer and it is up to the clubs if they want to accept it or not,” pleaded Harry.

That’s fine, as long as you do only make an offer.

But Redknapp discusses in public what other managers seek to keep quiet, and the upshot in the case of Defoe and Downing was two unsettled players.

A not unprecedented upshot.

I wish Boro luck as they try to keep hold of Downing. They’ll need it.

And yet Harry goes on his merry way, buying favour with the media via the rentaquote business.

Speaking of which, let me take you back to the summer of 2005, and a comment directed at Gordon Strachan.

‘’I’m sick of it. It’s time for Celtic to come up with money for my players or keep out of my affairs. Is Gordon trying to unsettle my entire team?”

I kid you not, Redknapp said that . . . after Celtic had the temerity to approach Southampton (his then club) for a player at boardroom level.

All of which begs the question: just what is Harry’s game?

It’s a shame so few journalists see fit to ask it.