Potential Harry Redknapp replacements

So, earlier this week it finally came to fruition that Harry Redknapp was sacked from his role with Tottenham Hotspur. After almost four-years with the club, the veteran tactician was dismissed by chairman Daniel Levy. And while some speculate as to why the 65-year-old was fired from his role, Jack Olins takes a look at who could replace Redknapp in the White Hart Lane dugout. 

On Thursday 14th June, Harry Redknapp was told Tottenham Hotspur no longer required his services. This came as a shock to the football world and as a result of the astonishing news, there was unnecessary, unwarranted and wrongful abuse of Spurs chairman Daniel Levy from a host of leading sports journalists. 

A short while ago there was no chance Harry Redknapp would be out of a job in June. Many were expecting him to either supply Champions League football to Spurs and remain with the club or be offered the England job and, as he admitted earlier this week to former Spur and Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker, taken it. However, irregardless of the dismal run between February and May, Spurs still secure a fourth place finish. Yet, it was not to be enough for Champions League qualification following Chelsea’s win in Munich last month.

During this run, the FA unexpectedly offered the England job to West Bromwich Albion boss Roy Hodgson, who unsurprisingly accepted the role. During the time of this doubt with Harry Redknapp’s future, Daniel Levy and his co-workers will have realized that there was a very slim chance of Harry Redknapp being in charge of Tottenham for the 2012/13 season. Therefore, they would have had the last four months to explore the world in search of potential candidates to replace Harry Redknapp.

Now, with Spurs managerless, I will outline the four people I consider to be the most realistic and outstanding candidates available to Spurs 

Laurent Blanc (France)

The Montpellier legend has shot out the blocks into management. During his hugely successful playing days he was renowned for his ability in being a leader that led to him being nicknamed ‘Le President’. In his career he won a total of nine honours (international and club) and he has continued this winning mentality early into his managerial career, having won the French double (Ligue 1 and the Coupe De La Ligue) in the 2008/09 season with Bordeaux. This shows that he is a winner, a problem that was cited with Redknapp, who throughout his 30-year managerial career only has one FA Cup. Laurent Blanc has Premier League experience, as a player, speaks English and has no problem in being a harsh disciplinarian to command respect, banning all players in the World Cup 2010 squad from his first as French manager. Furthermore, his contract with France ends after the European Championship, making him a free agent so no compensation will be needed.

Andre Villas-Boas (Unattached)

The highly-rated Jose Mourinho protégé came to Chelsea with huge expectations after a remarkable season with Porto, winning the treble, scoring over 100 goals with an incredibly attractive brand of football and doing all of this unbeaten. However, he was charged with a near impossible task of removing the power vacuum in the egotistical Blues dressing room. The players refused to accept and wouldn’t buy into his philosophy leading to owner Roman Abramovich’s patience running out in March after questionable domestic form. He would come to Spurs very determined and with a point to prove after his disappointing spell at Stamford Bridge. Villas-Boas is a young and ambitious manager who would not have the same problems he faced with the current Champions League winners and with a bit of patience could become a mainstay in the Spurs dugout for the foreseeable future.

David Moyes (Everton)

David Moyes has stayed loyal to Everton for the last decade despite the limited budget provided to him. He has masterminded a top four finish for Everton and has constantly over achieved. Doubts remain about the style of football Moyes would bring, as his Everton sides haven’t been known for free-flowing attacking of football, with the Scot preferring his teams well-organised and disciplined. Moyes has plenty of Premier League experience and is highly regarded by many Premier League chairmen and fellow managers. This has led to him being linked as a potential replacement for Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, which speaks volumes about his managerial ability.

Frank de Boer (Ajax)

Somewhat of a wild card, Frank de Boer spent the majority of his playing career at Ajax and Barcelona, which says all you need to know about the football style he would bring to White Hart Lane should he become manager. Another former player with a fantastic record of winning trophies throughout his career, which he has bought through into the early years of his managerial time. Having started halfway through the 2010/11 season, de Boer took Ajax to the Eredivisie title in his first season of being a manager, he won the Dutch league again this season and is clearly destined to greater things, which could be in North London.

Jack Olins is most certainly on Twitter and can be found by clicking on his name.