Details of Redknapp’s attacks on refs revealed. So why does he claim he never does it? « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News, supporting the club, the players and the manager

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All the doings down the Lane

By Tony Attwood

“I never complain about referees’ decisions – I have not done it in 30 years of management, never. But today, I’m afraid, he got some badly wrong.”

That was Harry Redknapp, manager of Tottenham, on 11 December 2011.

But a two minute search of the internet reveals hundreds of events in which he has significantly attacked refs over their decisions.

Before I get to the list however we might remember him being fined by the FA and warned over his future conduct by the Football Association after admitting a charge of using abusive and/or insulting words towards a match official in March 2007.  But that’s just a detail of course.

The charge related to Portsmouth’s match with Manchester City on February 10 when Redknapp was sent to the stands by referee Mike Dean.

To repeat all of Mr Redknapp’s attacks on refs would be boring but here are a few…

On 29 December 2008 Mr Redknapp got angry with Steve Tanner (referee).    He called the ref ‘scary’ and said he was not good enough for the Premier League having failed to spot a push on Michael Dawson as Roman Bednar scored.   And he claimed there were too many wrong decisions overall, saying, “I could not even put into words what I thought of his performance. I walked into the referee’s room before the game, saw who was reffing and knew what was coming. I expected that sort of performance. It didn’t surprise me. I’ve had him before many times and know what he’s like. He’s not good enough. He’s a poor referee. I’ve seen him make a mess of so many games. I saw him in the Championship and I thought ‘Where has he come from?’  It’s my honest opinion and I don’t complain about referees. I don’t do that. But this guy was scary. He’s not up to the Premier League.  Why did Dawson fly through the air when he has headed every ball? Everyone saw it but the referee.  Yet it was a sending-off. Benoit turned his back and put his foot in, so I can see why the referee sent him off.”

In the same month Mr Redknapp attacked the ref in the game against Sporting Braga.  Portsmouth had four players booked.  He said,  “I got frustrated with the whole game to be honest. Right from the start I thought the referee had no idea whatsoever.   It’s frightening, they were diving all over the place and nearly every decision seemed to be a booking.  A few weeks ago we had a great Turkish referee in Guimaraes near here and it was a good game. This time I thought it was very poor.  Where is the referee from? Slovenia? I’m sure they have a big league there and plenty of top matches.

On November 1 2010 Harry Redknapp threatened to never do a post match interview again if he were to be charged by the FA for his verbal attack on referee Mark Clattenburg.   He said,  “Don’t expect me to come out on the TV anymore – ever – and speak to the press after a game.   He [the ref] made a right mess of it all, and that was my answer. And I stand by that 100%.  I never questioned the integrity of the referee. What I said is that when they get in their room – and I’ve said it before – they would always make sure that they sing from the same hymn sheet.  Anyone that thinks that doesn’t happen, they shouldn’t be in football, or involved in the game. Because I’ve been in it long enough. They always come up with the same. The linesman isn’t going to say ‘I told him it was handball and he should have disallowed it.’ They’ll all come up with the same.  There’ll be an answer. Even though Mark Clattenburg in private has said to somebody that I know for a fact, that he made a mess, really. He should have blown up and given the free-kick. The whole thing was a mess.”

In fact far from never criticising refs, Harry Redknapp has been charged with using abusive and/or insulting words towards a match official by the Football Association following a Portsmouth 2-1 win over Manchester City in March 2006.

I could go on but it is getting boring.  The point is, not that he does criticise referees but why does he deny it.  Here are the possible reasons.

1.  He has the media in his pocket and he knows they will only report what he wants them to report.

2. He has genuinely forgotten all these hundreds of incidents – in which case dementia is a likely cause.

3. The FA have told the press that Mr Redknapp is sacred and must not be criticised.

4. The media and FA all support Tottenham.

5.  He is a lying turnip who knows what he is doing and thinks he can just get away with it.

Of course Tottenham supporters may be tempted to say that “all managers do this”, and yes it is true, that many do, but the absolute statement, “I never complain about referees’ decisions – I have not done it in 30 years of management, never. But today, I’m afraid, he got some badly wrong,” really does seem a bit over the top.

But, hey ho, its Mr Redknapp, and he can do what he likes.  As when in November 2010 he told an interviewer to “fuck off” live on Sky Sports.

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