The advice came to Southampton – whose relegation to the second division was confirmed – on how to return directly to the English Premier League football from an unexpected side, specifically from the person known to some on the south coast as “Agent Harry”, who was at the helm of the Southampton team the last time it was relegated. from the Premier League.
Harry Redknapp was the last to lead Southampton during its relegation from the top flight in 2005, before he aroused the ire of the team’s fans by leading its arch-rival Portsmouth shortly thereafter.
“I didn’t try to push Southampton down,” the quiet coach told a group of students in the city about how he had become a divisive figure on the south coast. “It all went against us.”
The 76-year-old former player said Southampton’s priority now should be to target a number of quality players, even in the short term, to make their stay in the second division as short as possible.
“You didn’t always have to go abroad to (sign) players, you need good professionals and you could do it with James Milner or anyone else. I know he will join Brighton,” Redknapp tells the local newspaper The Daily Echo about the Liverpool midfielder.
He added, “Get the services of 3 or 4 players that you can count on in the dressing room. The leaders are there, and they may be among the players who have one year left (in the stadiums).”
Southampton’s squad has increased to more than 30 players from the big elements, as it seeks to avoid relegation.
“I don’t know about half of the players. And to be honest with you: there are a lot of different players who have come from other countries. (You need) people you can count on and who want to do a good job and manage to give what they have,” he said.
He added, referring to the Southampton captain, “It’s an easy task when you have a group of good professionals controlling the atmosphere in the team. They (at Southampton) can do it with some other players of the quality of (James) Ward-Prowse … the new signings will be very important.”
Redknapp, who won the FA Cup with Portsmouth and has also coached Bournemouth, West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Queens Park Rangers as well as the Jordan national team, said Southampton must look in the transfer market for players with a spirit of “winning and driving”.
He continued, “This is what Southampton lacks, and this is what they have to find. The goal is: come and get us out of this league (second tier) and then we can start rebuilding with some young elements.”