Harry Redknapp – a man who famously reacted quite angrily to being called a wheeler dealer at Tottenham.
“I’m not a hustler or a swindler. Don’t say that; I haven’t established my reputation as a wheeler and dealer.
In the end, though, it was a compliment from Rob Palmer, the Sky Sports reporter who witnessed his humorous remark during an interview with the Tottenham boss backfire almost instantly.
Once the 77-year-old discovered some true gems for Spurs, including an £8 million deal for Rafael van der Vaart and a £9 million move for Kyle Walker, he did establish himself as a wheeler and dealer in the market.
Harry Redknapp did, however, reject one player, even though Tottenham agreed to a contract without telling him.
Harry Redknapp rejected Antonio Pedroza
Antonio Pedroza has recently disclosed that Redknapp’s transfer to Spurs was canceled.
PePedroza said to The Athletic, “I didn’t pass a physical, so we struck a deal with Tottenham, but it fell through. They said I had a hip issue, but in the end, I believe the true issue was that Harry Redknapp, the manager, was unaware of the owner of the team, the president, or the big boss, and when I arrived with my agent, he asked, “Who is this guy? I won’t sign him since I don’t know him.
After my agent gave him the rundown, Redknapp declared, “I don’t give a ____, he’s not signing with me.”
Tottenham were proven right
To put it mildly, Redknapp was brutal in this.
Pedroza went on to make just five appearances for Crystal Palace without scoring, but at this time at least the Londoner’s talent-spotting was still in effect, and he later returned to play football in Mexico.
You might say that Spurs kind of escaped a bullet in that regard.
