The cartoon stereotype of Harry Redknapp as a wheeler dealer, a crafty operator who loves nothing more than shuffling his pack with a nod and a wink, is an image the Tottenham manager himself cannot stand. Anyone who dares to mention his liking for a deal to his face will invariably be shot a withering look. But the trouble is, Redknapp has proved himself the master of a footballing bargain so often during his career, the label has stuck for good.
Another Redknapp special – an absolute bargain - has been central to Tottenham’s charge towards the top of the Premier League this season. The arrival of Emmanuel Adebayor has been fantastic for Tottenham in so many ways. The Togolese attacker is their top scorer, and top provider of assists. And the best thing about him is that he cost a relative pittance. As a loan deal there is no weighty transfer fee, and because Manchester City were under such pressure to cut their squad numbers to make room for the latest purchases (and realized nobody in the current market could afford to match the wages Adebayor was given as part of the Abu Dhabi-funded drive for success at the Etihad), Tottenham have struck an arrangement where they pay only a fraction of his salary. City pick up the rest of the tab. Nice work.
But Adebayor is an example of why the loan system in the Premier League makes some people feel distinctly uncomfortable. City are effectively subsidizing another club in their division. The moral question becomes even more complicated with the regulations that prevent loan players from being picked in matches against their parent club. So Adebayor can strengthen Tottenham against all of City’s rivals, but Spurs will be weakened when they play City themselves.
It does seem to be a flaw in the system, but as far as Tottenham are concerned, that is everybody else’s problem. They are delighted with their new recruit, who has become a vital cog in a team that is riding the crest of a wave and currently exceeding Premier League expectations. If they win their game in hand, Spurs would go second in the table, above the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea, to become the closest challengers to pace-setters Manchester City.
After starting the campaign with two comprehensive defeats at the hands of the two Manchester clubs – United and City – Tottenham have been on an impressively consistent run. They have won nine out of their last 10 Premier League games.
There have been many good reasons behind Tottenham’s form. The fact Luka Modric stayed at the club to be the creative metronome. The settled defence, which benefits from Brad Friedel’s experience in goal (another excellent, cheap deal) and a reassuring partnership between Ledley King and Younes Kaboul at centre back. The energy of Gareth Bale on the left. And, up front, there is the presence of big man with a big history who is making an enormous difference.
Adebayor, who spent the beginning of 2011 on loan with Real Madrid, is clearly enjoying his football. "I am having big fun," he said. "We have a laugh in training. I feel just like a baby. The results follow. I've got my life back. I've got my confidence back. That's what you can see. I don't have any pressure on my head to score to keep my place. It's a pleasure to have a manager who gives you compliments, gives you your life back. He tells me to go out and enjoy my football, score goals, and if I can't score, make assists. He's happy, we're happy, the fans are happy."
"I always knew my quality, my capacity. I knew what I could do. I knew I would bounce back. If I don't help Tottenham to get into the top four I will have failed. Everybody had a huge belief in me when I came and I have to pay that back.”
Adebayor insists he has a different philosophy about his football in the aftermath of the day that transformed him: January 8, 2010, when he was on board the team coach traveling into Angola for an African Cup of Nations match and the coach was ambushed, with three of the Togo party shot dead.
"It could have been me,” Adebayor recalled. “I have realized when it is your time, it's your time. There is no way back - when you have to be gone you have to be gone because people got shot two seats in front of me. I just told myself from that day: 'Every single moment should be enjoyable, I will be having fun.' I was one minute from passing away."
Adebayor just concentrates on each day, and he is grateful to everybody at Tottenham that his days at the moment are bringing happiness to himself and his club.
