You know, at that time Modric had just grown up and was not yet the world-famous Modric who won the Golden Ball Award against Messi and Ronaldo.
This is the uniqueness of Redknapp's vision.
However, when the opponent thought Modric was the core, Tottenham's Defoe scored 5 goals in one game...
Tottenham has no tactics, that's his tactics.
In other words, the magician Redknapp's tactics are essentially anti-tactics.
In a general trend where almost all coaches emphasize the connection between the three lines of the formation and even require players to run according to the triangle formation, Redknapp is a counter-current. He does not require whether the three lines are balanced, nor does he require players to run according to the way he sets. His famous saying is: Arrange 11 people in their most suitable positions and let them play on their own.
Full freedom also makes this Tottenham team extremely unpredictable, with a very varied and passionate style of play.
This is also the reason why Tottenham Hotspur was able to upset and eliminate the powerful Red Devils Manchester United in the quarter-finals.
At this time, the on-site press officer announced the official start of the pre-match press conference.
A reporter raised his hand first to ask coach Redknapp how he saw the game against Southampton, what was his evaluation of Gu Ran, and whether he was interested in putting on Bai Baihe's jersey for Gu Ran when all the big clubs wanted to compete for Gu Ran.
Redknapp immediately smiled and said that he had coached Southampton and his son also retired from the team, so he has feelings for the Southampton club. He is very happy that Southampton can achieve such results and reach the League Cup final, so in his opinion, no matter what the result of today's game is, Southampton has actually won.
This well-thought-out speech immediately received applause from Tottenham and Southampton reporters.
Old Ray continued to express his opinion that as for the super star Gu Ran, Tottenham certainly wants him, but Tottenham has Bale on the left back, Modric in the midfield, and Van der Vaart, Crouch and Defoe on the forward line, and Gu Ran's transfer fee must be very high. From a pragmatic point of view, Tottenham will not participate in the competition with other giants for the time being, but if Gu Ran is willing to come to Tottenham, then Tottenham will definitely not let him go.
Another reporter asked Lao Lei about his prediction for the game and what the players' current mentality was.
Old Ray replied that this game must be very important for Southampton, because they have never won the League Cup, while Tottenham has won the League Cup four times and has reached the finals even more times. However, this does not mean that Tottenham does not value this final. Tottenham’s desire for glory is as strong as the Knights’ desire for honor, and the competition in the Premier League this season is very fierce. Our current result is temporarily sixth. We must win the League Cup to ensure next year’s Europa League. Whether in terms of glory or from the needs of the event, we must win today.
After another round of questions, the press officer announced that the questions for Coach Redknapp were over and the reporters turned to ask questions to Coach Adkins.
Reporters asked, as a coach who had no reputation before, what is his mentality at this moment when he meets the old predecessor in the EFL Cup final? What is his prediction for the result of the game? Coach Adkins replied that Redknapp is indeed a respectable old predecessor. He is always ordered to take charge in times of crisis and always able to turn the tide. Before he took over West Ham United, West Ham United was the bottom team, but after he coached for a whole season, West Ham United rose to the middle of the Premier League. When he took over Portsmouth, Portsmouth had been relegated from the Premier League, but soon returned to the middle of the Premier League. When he took over Tottenham, Tottenham had fallen from a strong Premier League team to a lower-level team, but in just one season, Tottenham returned to the top four of the Premier League and this year Tottenham also played in the Champions League.
Adkins went on to say that as a coach working in a lower league, he admired coach Redknapp very much. Of course, admiration is admiration and competition is competition. The more he respects Redknapp, the more he can inspire his fighting spirit and potential.
Adkins also reminded that although Tottenham is strong and they defeated Manchester United, his Southampton also defeated Everton, Manchester City and Chelsea along the way. Although Southampton is far inferior to Tottenham, if the outcome can be determined only by the strength on paper, then there is no need to play the game. It can be done by inputting the data into the computer and letting the computer decide the outcome - but in reality, this cannot be done.
Adkins said that Southampton's goal has never been to create history, but to play steadily and win every game that can be won.
After the reporters asked some other questions, the press officer announced the end of the pre-match press conference.
The coaches of both teams shook hands and wished each other to play at their best level.
After the press conference, players from both teams continued to rest and adjust in their respective locker rooms.
At 1 p.m., the fans entered the stadium.
Wembley Stadium, which can accommodate 90,000 people, was soon full.
Tottenham Hotspur fans wearing white lily jerseys sat in the south stand, while Southampton Saints fans wearing red and white jerseys sat in the north stand.
In addition to Tottenham fans and Southampton fans, there were also many "neutral" fans who came to watch the game today.
These "neutral" fans are basically Arsenal and Chelsea fans. They are all in London, closest to Wembley Stadium, and today they all came to cheer for Southampton.
Putting aside the fact that both Arsenal and Chelsea want to poach Gu Ran, just because of the century-old feud between them and Tottenham, they must cheer for Southampton.
So, on the surface, it seems that Tottenham has more fans than Southampton, but in fact, about 60% to 70% of the fans in this stadium are here to support Southampton.
Tottenham also used a fake home stadium.
Before the players even came on the field, Chelsea and Arsenal fans were already shouting "Fark, bite Seof" to Tottenham fans, and the whole stadium was filled with tension.
In fact, Southampton and Tottenham are not mortal enemies at all, but with the appearance of Chelsea and Arsenal fans, the situation became difficult to control.
After the referee inspected the field, Southampton was the first to enter the field for adaptive warm-up.
The Southampton fans, Chelsea fans and Arsenal fans at the scene all cheered and shouted at Gu Ran.
When Tottenham players entered the field to warm up, Southampton fans, Chelsea fans and Arsenal fans at the scene booed wildly.
...(End of this chapter)