Harry Redknapp blasts Gary Neville after Manchester United legend’s criticism of ‘pathetic and spineless’ Tottenham
The former boss was not happy about Neville's comments on Spurs where he branded previous sides 'spineless' on Monday Night Football
Harry Redknapp has launched a furious attack on Gary Neville after the Manchester United legend branded Tottenham teams over the last 30 years ‘spineless and soft’.
Speaking on Monday Night Football following Spurs’ 1-0 defeat to Manchester City, top pundit Neville said the club had historically produced ‘flaky and pathetic’ teams.
He was actually arguing with Jamie Carragher that Tottenham are building a potentially a title-winning side in the right way, saying they now have their ‘toughest, robust and most resilient’ team in decades.
The former Liverpool man, meanwhile, was saying they must start spending more to get anywhere close to challenging for top honours.
But a fuming Redknapp took exception to Neville’s comments about previous Tottenham sides and joined talkSPORT on Wednesday to fire back at the former defender, and even took a stab at his brief unsuccessful stint as a manager in Spain.
“I thought Gary’s comments were an absolute disgrace,” he said on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast.
“I can only comment on the three-and-a-half years I managed the club, and we weren’t gutless, we weren’t spineless, we weren’t pathetic, flaky or soft.
“It’s a disgrace to label people like Luka Modric, Gareth Bale, Ledley King, Rafa van der Vaart, William Gallas, it’s a disgrace to talk about players saying they’re spineless and gutless.
“I was so disappointed and so upset by his comments. He was totally out of order.
“And listen, we can all come back – when he managed Valencia they were the worst Valencia team probably not just in the last 30 years but in their history.
“I heard him about two years ago have a pop about a couple of players, saying Tottenham had got rid of some bad apples and mentioned Michael Dawson – he was one of the best pros I’ve come across in my life. I think he needs to do his homework before he comes out and makes comments like that and talks about people in that tone.”
Asked if he’s got a message for Neville, Redknapp added: “Listen, I’ve got the raving hump, I really wouldn’t want to speak to him to be honest.
“I’ve got the raving needle with him, I think he’s totally out of order, I really do.
“My son’s a pundit, so I know people have a right to their opinions and I don’t dispute that, but his opinion in this case is totally wrong, totally out of order.
“The previous 26 years I can’t argue about, that’s up for other managers to say and I’m sure there are lots of people who were very aggrieved for him to say that about their teams and their players.
“I will only defend the players I had, I had fantastic players and I was very lucky to manage a really outstanding Tottenham team who played great football, and to talk about them in that tone I think is an absolute disgrace.”
David Seaman agreed with Redknapp, saying he faced plenty of strong Tottenham teams during his celebrated 13 years spell at Arsenal, and compared Neville to a certain combative talkSPORT host.
“I couldn’t believe it when I heard it,” said the former goalkeeper.
“It was almost Adrian Durham-like, it was way over the top.
“I played in loads of north London derbies and I couldn’t throw any of those accusations against any of the Tottenham teams then. You can’t do things like that, it’s scandalous.”