Harry Redknapp fears Antonio Conte will ‘not stick around’ at Tottenham if he isn’t backed in the transfer market… as former boss slams his old club for failing to ‘push the boat out’ – even when he was in charge
- Former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp criticises the club’s transfer business
- Redknapp expects boss Antonio Conte to not stick around unless he is backed
- He also feels Spurs cost him the chance of winning the Premier League
Harry Redknapp has slammed his former club Tottenham’s transfer business, saying it cost him a Premier League title, and could lose them current boss Antonio Conte.
Conte, a five-time league champion in England and Italy, oversaw a frustrating first transfer window in north London.
The former Chelsea boss off-loaded a number of unwanted stars such as Tanguy Ndombele, Giovanni Lo Celso and Dele Alli among others, but only brought in Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski from one of his former club’s Juventus in January.
Harry Redknapp feels his former club Tottenham could lose manager Antonio Conte (pictured) if they do not back him in the transfer market
Conte did manage to bring in Swedish midfielder Dejan Kulusevski (pictured, left) during the January transfer window
Adama Traore, however, chose Barcelona over north London, while Luis Diaz then picked Liverpool over Spurs – meaning Conte missed out of his main targets as he looked to improve his struggling squad.
‘I do get the feeling with him that he’s not going to stick around if he sees this is not going to go well,’ Redknapp told talkSPORT.
‘It’s not what he’s been used to, he’s always managed top clubs with top players.
‘I don’t think he will stick around if he doesn’t see a bit of progression there and a chance to be up there looking to win something, I think he’ll get disillusioned very quickly.’
Redknapp knows the feeling as he feels Spurs lack of backing cost them the Premier League title in 2011/12
Redknapp knows the feeling of not being backed by Spurs, as his side ended up finishing fourth during the 2011/12 season, despite being in the hunt for the title, when the January transfer window opened.
The north London club failed to back the experienced boss and instead he had to bring in Louis Saha and Ryan Nelsen – two players at the tail ends of their careers.
Manchester City went on to win the Premier League on the final day.
‘I’ve been through that situation there, I know what it’s like,’ Redknapp added.
‘I remember we got to Christmas one year and we needed a couple of players to have a real push, I really felt we could challenge for the title, we were that close that year.
‘They wouldn’t push the boat out, I ended up bringing in Louis Saha – who had been a great player but was coming to the end of his career – and Ryan Nelsen, again a fantastic centre-half in his day but was a free transfer.
Louis Saha (left) and Ryan Nelsen (right) were Harry Redknapp’s January reinforcements in Spurs title push
‘It was time to have a go and push the boat out but it didn’t happen.
‘I think they need to do that now, they need to really spend some money and bring in a couple of real top players.’
The FA Cup is the only hope of silverware for Tottenham this season along with a top four finish to secure Champions League football.
Although the latter looks a tough task now, having lost three consecutive matches in the Premier League.
