Harry Redknapp left Birmingham City on Saturday evening just eight games into the season. The manager's sacking was certainly a shock to the supporters, despite the fact they had lost six consecutive matches and won only one game in the league.
The former Tottenham Hotspur and Portsmouth boss had been given a one-year contract in the summer, after he kept the club in the Championship last term with only three games remaining. “I'm not being paid. It doesn't bother me though,” Redknapp told BBC Radio 5 live.
“I have got a bonus. It's not a massive one, but I said, ‘if I don't keep you up, I don't want paying’.”
Redknapp was given a one-off payment of £250,000 once they survived relegation, having joked after the derby defeat to Aston Villa that he was worried he didn't have enough petrol in his car to get home.
Birmingham recruited an incredible 14 players in the transfer window, with Arsenal defenders Cohen Bramall and Carl Jenkinson joining on-loan and Brentford's Harlee Dean and Maxime Colin arriving for just under £5 million. The club had a net spend of £11.5 million in total, with only Reading, Sheffield Wednesday and Wolverhampton Wanderers investing more from the 24 sides in the Championship.
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They also broke their transfer record for Spanish winger Jota, who picked up a hamstring strain last week against Leeds United, with Redknapp admitting: “He is a real good player, he is a player with a massive future. The boy Jota can make goals, score goals, I have lost three key forwards but there’s nothing we can do about it.”
The 70-year-old has had some injuries to contend with, but not enough to warrant starting an incredible 22 players in those eight league encounters. Only goalkeeper David Stockdale and centre-back Michael Morrison have been in the first XI for all their league matches, whereas Wolves have had seven players feature in every game.
Redknapp's indecision over team selection hasn't merely been confined to personnel, with the coach utilising six different formations. He has used his usual 4-4-2 on three occasions, but surprisingly opted for 3-5-2 against Reading.
Fans were naturally unhappy with the results and performances this season, but they are certainly left wondering which direction the club are heading. It's not the first time the Hong Kong-based owners have acted so peculiarly regarding their No.1.
Gary Rowett was sacked with the club seventh in the Championship, after the Trillion Trophy Asia company were disappointed that he had rejected a new contract. They immediately employed Gianfranco Zola and the Blues plummeted down the league.
This happened only last December, which made the decision to allow Redknapp's overhaul of the squad even more bemusing. They needed a coach that could reinstall the confidence that had seen them perform so well under Rowett.
The club now seek a manager that can blend the combination of individuals into some sort of cohesive unit, whilst most probably not having the opportunity to add their own resources in January. Supporters are naturally worried about who will be given the chance to implement such a difficult task.
