Harry Redknapp reveals shock at his Spurs sacking after Champions League success
Few stories are as surprising as Harry Redknapp’s exit from Tottenham Hotspur following a fourth-place finish in the Premier League. Redknapp has now opened up about his departure, sharing how blindsided he felt by the decision, despite delivering one of Spurs’ most successful campaigns.
The ruthless streak of Daniel Levy
Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has never shied away from making decisive—and sometimes controversial—calls when it comes to managerial changes.
Since taking the reins at Spurs, Levy has overseen the appointment of 12 managers, sacking 11 of them, with Ange Postecoglou being the most recent hire and the current man at the helm.
The abrupt nature of these decisions has made headlines over the years. Mauricio Pochettino, widely credited with transforming Spurs into Champions League regulars, was shown the door just months after leading the club to the 2019 Champions League final.
Antonio Conte, another big-name manager, was dismissed in 2023 while Tottenham were still in the top four, following his infamous public criticism of the players after a draw with Southampton.
Even earlier, the departures of Andre Villas-Boas and Jose Mourinho carried their own dramatic undertones, with Mourinho notably dismissed just days before the 2021 League Cup final.
However, perhaps the most unexpected and cold-blooded sacking in Levy’s tenure was that of Harry Redknapp in 2012—a decision that still resonates as one of the more contentious moments in Tottenham’s managerial history.
Harry Redknapp opens up on his Spurs exit
Now, speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Harry Redknapp has reflected on his sudden sacking, describing the decision as disrespectful and entirely unexpected.
The former Tottenham manager expressed disbelief at how events unfolded, especially after a season that saw Spurs finish fourth in the Premier League and narrowly miss out on Champions League football due to Chelsea’s European triumph.
He said: “I had that. It is disrespectful. I had it at Tottenham at the end. I never had a clue, it was completely out of the blue to me It was going great, we finished fourth and we were in the Champions League, but Chelsea got to the final of the Champions League that year and finished sixth.
“When they won it was a disaster. I’d gone from qualifying for the Champions League, and when I got home I was told that Daniel had a meeting with one or two managers at the time.
“It was quite a shock, but yeah, sadly that was it.”
For a manager who had brought stability and European ambitions back to the club after the turbulent Juande Ramos era, Redknapp’s exit was particularly difficult to comprehend.
His words underline just how blindsided he felt by the decision, which remains one of the more puzzling chapters in Tottenham’s modern history.
What history tells us about Harry Redknapp’s Spurs sacking
Statistically, Redknapp’s win percentage of 49 per cent is the lowest among Tottenham managers under Levy, though this must be considered in the context of inheriting a struggling side in 2008.
Despite this, his achievements—transforming Spurs into a top-four contender in the Premier League—are undeniable.
By comparison, Ange Postecoglou, the current Tottenham manager, has a similar win percentage but continues to receive the backing of the board even with Spurs sitting mid-table.
Levy’s handling of managers remains a divisive aspect of his leadership, but Redknapp’s story highlights the unforgiving nature of football at the highest level.
While statistics and results matter, it is often the relationships and behind-the-scenes negotiations that shape the fate of a manager, regardless of their on-pitch success.
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