Redknapp fumes at Spurs' pre-season pile-up
Published 23:00 30/07/10 By John Cross
Harry Redknapp has launched an astonishing attack on Spurs’ “crazy” pre-season schedule.
Redknapp claims the gruelling fixture list is in danger of wrecking Tottenham’s’ Champions League campaign before it has even started.
The White Hart Lane boss says Luka Modric, Wilson Palacios and Roman Pavlyuchenko are injury doubts for the start of the season and believes his players have been left jet-lagged by the club’s money-spinning trip to the US.
His comments will not go down well with the board, who use overseas friendlies to promote the club abroad and bring in cash.
Redknapp was also unhappy with the timing of international friendlies in August ahead of Tottenham’s Champions League qualifier.
Redknapp said: “I’ve been waking up at three o’clock every morning. The players are the same, then after two days we have another game.
“It’s crazy, it’s every Saturday and Wednesday, and the last thing we need is to play games. We need to train, I need to get them on the training pitch. Too many games have been scheduled. I didn’t want the game against Villarreal.”
The visit to the US saw matches with San Jose Earthquakes, New York Red Bulls and Sporting Lisbon, while Spurs were thrashed 4-1 at home by Villarreal on Thursday.
Redknapp blamed that defeat on the toll taken by the US visit and called the forthcoming friendly with Fiorentina a “nuisance”. Spurs also play Benfica.
International friendlies on August 11 will see foreign members of his squad jet around the world and the England players turn out against Hungary at Wembley.
That is three days before Spurs start their league campaign against Manchester City, while four days after that they have a Champions League qualifier where defeat could mean they miss out on a £30million.
Redknapp said: “Can someone tell me why there is an international break on the week the season is starting?
“Can someone tell me what that’s all about?
“They’ve just been to the World Cup together as a group, they’ve come home and are probably sick of the sight of one another.
“But now they’re going to have an international week before we play Manchester City on the first week of the season and then there is a Champions League qualifier.
“We play Fiorentina next Saturday, which is a nuisance, then they play for their countries. I won’t see those international players between Saturday and the Friday. I won’t see them once.
“How can that be the way to prepare for the start of a season?
“What’s the point of a meaningless friendly?”
