Harry Redknapp's QPR Failure Signals End of Era for Premier League

As Harry Redknapp bade farewell to the Premier League—possibly for the last time—without so much as one final car window interview, there was an inescapable feeling that a curtain was being drawn down on an era of English football.

Redknapp embodied a style of management that—as his doomed spell in charge of QPR demonstrated—is becoming increasingly outmoded. Rangers’ wretched away form points to a coach attempting to make up for his lack of tactical acumen with canny man-management, and failing.

A look down the list of current Premier League managers tells a similar story. Almost all have showcased an overriding philosophy in their playing style and enough flexibility to adjust formations on the fly. In the last couple of years, this trend has accelerated markedly, dragging English football into the 21st century by finally doing away with the “flat back four or bust” creed.

The fact that some Arsenal fans are seriously questioning whether Arsene Wenger—the man who has done more for the process of modernising coaching in England than anyone else—has the nous to manage successfully anymore speaks volumes.

Redknapp isn’t the only one who football has left behind. Looking back at some of the game’s managerial giants, it’s far easier to pick out those who would stand no chance today than those that would.

Associated Press

Brian Clough is a good example. A winner of two leagues and two European Cups, Clough’s career just overlapped with the creation of the Premier League and the injection of previously unheard of levels of television revenue. In that one season, Clough’s Nottingham Forest team were relegated, neatly signalling the changing of the guard.

Clough’s methods made him one of the game’s most successful managers in his prime, but few would pass muster today. His showmanship for the media to ease the pressure on his players has been co-opted most notably by Jose Mourinho, but time has been less kind to some of his other favourite tactics.

He was reticent to drill his team on their upcoming opponents—more symptomatic of the times than Clough himself. He espoused a gentle style of training, preferring his players to be in good condition and relaxed. He occasionally took the relaxation of his players to the extreme—particularly before big games—encouraging late-night drinking sessions to dispel pre-match nerves.

While Harry Redknapp never went to these extremes, he definitely had an old-school charm, which was part of the reason that he was so beloved by the media.

The age of managerial mind-games (both with players and the media) and mindset trumping all else is making way for that of “projects” and increasingly granular tactical nuances. From a misty-eyed, nostalgic point of view, it’s easy to mourn the loss. However, from the perspective of English football’s competitiveness—both at club and international level—it can only be a good thing.