HARRY REDKNAPP gambled and won in his bid to reach the FA Cup semi-finals.
Now the Tottenham manager is worth a punt to become the first Englishman to win the Barclays Premier League Manager of the Year award.
Several Scots, a Frenchman and a Portuguese have been voted as the best in the top flight since 1992.
But if Redknapp completes a 2010 version of a Tottenham double – winning the FA Cup and qualifying for the Champions League – he would be among the favourites even if the year doesn’t end in one. The announcement will be made on May 7.
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The Spurs boss inherited a team bottom of the Premier League in October 2008, took them to the Carling Cup final last season and into the top four now.
Although he has been allowed to spend big in the transfer market, the 63-year-old has certainly offered more value for money than Rafa Benitez or Manchester City’s lavish outlay. And all in an entertaining style in the best traditions of the North London club.
The victory over Fulham also dented the credentials of Roy Hodgson, another English manager enjoying a great season at home and abroad. After the second-half comeback against the Cottagers, Eidur Gudjohnsen described Redknapp’s replacement of the injured Vedran Corluka with Roman Pavlyuchenko as a “fantastic decision”.
On a night of unrelenting rain at White Hart Lane, the Russian striker immediately scored the second goal and Spurs were home and dry. “That’s the type of manager he is,” said Peter Crouch. “He’s extremely attacking and he wants to go out and win games rather than sit back and try and see the game out.”
Redknapp will now lead a team to Wembley for the fourth time in three years against his former club Portsmouth.
It will be friends reunited, if not for the Pompey fans. Backroom staff Kevin Bond and Joe Jordan followed Redknapp up the A3 to London to be followed by Crouch, Jermain Defoe and Niki Krancjar. While at Pompey, Ricardo Rocha, Michael Brown and Kevin Prince Boateng are all former Spurs, along with the ineligible loanee Jamie O’Hara.
“I joined after Portsmouth won the cup in 2008,” said Crouch. “The whole place was buzzing when they did it but they’ve had their turn. Hopefully it’s our turn this year.
“There’s quite a few players and staff here who came from Portsmouth but that’ll be a side issue.”
“I feel for Portsmouth, obviously, but there’s no sentiment. We want Tottenham Hotspur to get to the final and give the fans here something to cheer about.”
Crouch did win the FA Cup in 2006 with Liverpool, thanks to Steven Gerrard’s late equaliser against West Ham.
“I think winning it with Tottenham would probably be a bigger achievement,” said the England striker. But it was the highlight of my career so far. I loved it, it was a great feeling.
Crouch also revealed that the Premier League results on Wednesday – Manchester City lost and Aston Villa drew – were discussed “straight away” in the Spurs dressing room.
“You couldn’t fail to hear the cheers around the ground when the goals were going in,” he said.
“It’s a big boost for us. But we need to get the points on the board starting with Portsmouth on Saturday. We are in the driving seat now but I still think it’ll go right down to the wire.”
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