my, oh my… we’re just five games into the season and we’re already feeling the pressure in north london.

tottenham hotspur finally secured their long-desired champions league dream last week, squeaking by swiss “giants” young boys with an emphatic second league win. but the quest for european glory is already taking a toll on the club’s domestic form. losing to wigan, who’s previous to games were 0-4 and 0-6 losses to blackpool(!!!) and chelsea respectively, can be best described as a disaster.

i would be lying if i said i didn’t expect this to happen this season, i just didn’t expect it to happen so early in the season.

and while it’s worrying that they came out so flat against the latics, it’s infinitely more terrifying that the gaffer seems to be showing signs of cracking under the pressure of raised expectations this season. harry redknapp’s expletive-laced response to being called a “wheeler and dealer” in the post game interview makes me thing that he’s is feeling the heat in the tottenham hotseat. haven’t seen it yet? check it out below:

i can see some logic in why ‘arry would get his panties in a bunch over the term, as it could somehow imply that he is a swindler of sorts. but, it was just one comment that the reporter asked that set him off on a tizzy.

one could easily imagine that harry’s got a lot on his mind right now, and maybe that question was the perfect way to poke redknapp’s coals enough to get the first started. though you have to wonder why he’s on edge, and i got to thinking about it last night quite a bit. here’s my best guess as to what is causing so much stress in the “wheeler and dealer’s” head:

1. the loss to wigan: his team came out flat, and obviously underestimated a side that has had two very bad outings. harry is facing the same challenge that troubles sir alex, arsen wenger and carlo ancellotti year after year: how to keep his team motivated to face premier league minnows while they’re focused on trying to beat european giants.
2. the transfer market: i’ve already devoted a half of an entire post to spurs’ lack of presence in the transfer market this summer, so i won’t rehash my reasoning for my displeasure in this space (if you’re interested to know those thoughts, feel free to read that here). but as frustrated as i am as a fan, i can only imagine what redknapp is going through. being priced out of bids for luis fabiano would make me angry too. he knows he’s got a thin squad that needs some injection of class, and the looming transfer deadline would give anyone a need for some tums.
3. peter crouch is sleeping with sandra redknapp: i have to admit that i made this up, but only because it’s definitely in the realm of possibility. as of late, crouchy is attempting to tag just about every female he walks past. so i could completely see harry being a little nervous about his wife’s fidelity, if just by proxy.

   

4. the case of the missing brazilian: imagine going through the lengthy process of trying to acquire the services of a much heralded brazilian prospect. first you have to ward off all of the other suitors, then negotiate the terms of the potential agreement, and then get the signature. say you do all of that successfully, but you’re newboy goes AWOL right as he’s supposed to show up at your ground. that’s exactly what is going on with the £8m rated sandro, who has yet to show up after completing the copa libertadores duty with internacional. when you spend all of those quid on a player that’s supposed to help your team and he fails to show up, then you’re bound to get a little stressed out.
5. this interview: classic video… two years later, and i would guess he’s still miffed about this one. i would be.
6. injuries: this reason can’t be discounted either, especially when coupled with reason #2 above. here’s a list of tottenham’s crocked players: gomes (which might be fine, as he had apparently reverted to his clueless style of net minding), luka modrić, jonathan woodgate (eternally broken), jermain defoe (who is putting surgery off for the time being) and of course ledley king (who is always a day-to-day evaluation). sure there are teams worse off with the injury bug, but these are no doubt weighing heavy on harry’s mind.

fine, i admit it. as i read back through that list, there really isn’t a good reason as to why redknapp flipped his lid on saturday. it was unprofessional, no doubt, and i’m sure the premier league will have something to say about it.

but the guy is clearly on edge, just as many of us find ourselves throughout the course of our daily lives. let’s cut him some slack, at least until the next tottenham loss.