‘Everybody knows Redknapp had his own plan, his own thoughts about players and the way he wanted to play football and the way he looked at players who were here already’.
Reading between the lines, Maikel Kieftenbeld may have confirmed what we already knew. The contempt in which Harry Redknapp held the players he inherited caused obvious friction in the dressing room.
But for some players, that dejected feeling started long before Redknapp arrived. Gianfranco Zola’s attempt to introduce a flamboyant style of football didn’t wash with many of the same players. It seems that a loyalty to Gary Rowett coupled with individuals being asked to do what they felt incapable of doing by his replacement left a sour taste.
Redknapp came in, steered the ship to safety then back out to rocky waters once again. His comments after the defeat at Ipswich on the opening day of the season couldn’t have done much for morale. ‘I look at the bench, I’ve got nothing to bring on’. And that was more or less the theme of Redknapp’s post match interviews until he managed to embark on a deadline day spending spree.
After Redknapp’s tenure was bought to an abrupt halt following a home defeat to Preston, Lee Carsley was put in caretaker charge. Carsley got back to basics and the players felt valued again.
So with that in mind, Steve Cotterill cannot be blamed for sticking with the core of the squad who clearly have the biggest influence in the dressing room. His next task is to drum a tune out of them.
Last time out, Blues players were subjected to chants of ‘you’re not fit to wear the shirt’ by the 1,800 fans who travelled to Barnsley to watch another apathetic performance.
Nottingham Forest arrive at St. Andrews on Saturday in decent form. Cotterill has had the international break to dust his troops off and get rid of the cobwebs.
Blues are staring danger in the face once again and need results quickly. They have succeeded in adversity before and they now they must do it again.
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