Sunday 6 May 2012

Touching A Nerve With Brooking

Methinks he protests too much. Sir Trev has climbed off the fence in response to suggestions that he blocked Redknapp's anointment as England boss based on events at Upton Park 20 years ago. That's all nonsense according to the footballing knight and fence straddler: as if he would bear a grudge for 20 years!

But interestingly, he admits to the fact that he held a grudge at one point and concedes that he wasn't happy at the time and made his feelings known. Interestingly, he also says, "I’ve met Harry many times since then and it doesn’t even cross my mind. I never give it a thought." That's all very well, but Brooking stops short of saying that he and Redknapp are now mates or that they enjoy each other's company. They played in the same team, for pity's sake, but that phrase "I've met Harry many times" makes him sound like a foreign diplomat from another country.

And, of course, in many ways the two men are from different countries. Brooking is an officer and a gentleman, 'Arry a wheeler dealer chancer; Brooking is a bureaucratic diplomat, 'Arry loses his rag in front of television cameras when a journalist touches the wrong nerve; Brooking prepares plans and dossiers, 'Arry can't reed and rite proper like; Brooking is a knight of the realm, 'Arry only avoided a stretch at Her Majesty's Pleasure by the skin of his dog's teeth.

Brooking insists he wasn't responsible, but you can bet your life that he was in Hodgson's corner throughout, and certainly not in 'Arry's. It may not have been entirely down to the way Redknapp stabbed Bonds in the back, it may go back further than that, to chippy comments in the dressing room about the posh kid with 11 O Levels and 2 A Levels, or it may just be that oil and water don't mix. Whatever the reason, Brooking certainly did not back his former teammate and fellow Claret & Blue, and that is a huge vote of no confidence in itself isn't it? How could the rest of the panel run with 'Arry if a man who shared a dressing room with him wasn't advocating his appointment?

Sometimes sitting on the fence is a bold statement against the state of somebody else's garden!

5 comments:

Deane said...

I hope he did and I hope the press decide to drop their 'arry love in and some home truths about Harry's lack of morals, money is king attitude start getting exposed to a wider audience problem tho Harry lives in the same gutter as the press

Anonymous said...

Any method to upset 'arry is acceptable to me. Lowlife Spud

jimwhu said...

hf ive agreed with a lot of your posts this season but your like my third wife as mad as a hatter
hodgson got the england job on merrit just like ron greenwood did
did we need another england manager to fcuk of like weve had over the last 20 years by giving the job to harry accident waiting redknap i dont think so
you talk about dressing rooms i remember watching westham in the 71 72 season and the season before that and on the field redknapp was outstanding but why did ron greenwood flog him to bournemouth at the end of the season cos he was part of a drinking and gambling click at our club
he got shot of dear and greaves the year before i remember seeing greaves score wich i think was his last ever goal for us againstwba1971 good friday i think
brooking is a clever business man he had several busineses in our area he is no mug so if he blocked redknapp getting the england job then instead of slagging him off you should support him
and if he did block redknapp getting the england job over supporting billy bonds then i think thats great

Essexhammer said...

Classic HARRY interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q_lyoB-PaI&feature=related

Anonymous said...

Anony-mouse says,

Brooking was one of a four man selection panel who unanimously voted for Hodgson over bagpuss. I'd love it if it was revenge for what happened to Bill but I don't think Brooking is that unprofessional (more's the pity). More likely is that Sir Trev if asked for an opinion by the other three selecters about Mr 'Don't call me wheeler dealer' would have just had to give an honest assessment of his character and that would have been enough to stymie him for the job.

Hodgson won't win anything with the players he has at his disposal, but then Redknapp would'nt have either. But at least we have a good and decent man at our helm with no likelihood of future unsavoury revelations.