Redknapp has the cockerel crowing



What a difference a new face makes. Less than a month in the Tottenham job and the Arsenal-supporting, former West Ham and Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has single-handedly picked the football's laughing stock up, given it a well needed shake and sent it back out into the hostile waters of the Premier League with clear instructions on how to swim and not sink.

Redknapp's arrival to steady a ship disappearing without a trace under Juande Ramos has produced results that point to top four form, not that of a club languishing near the bottom. Proof of Redknapp's coaching strengths can be readily identified in attack and midfield. After spending £14million (Dh 80.7m) on Roman Pavlyuchenko, deemed 'too similar' to a misfiring Darren Bent by the previous regime, the Russian has responded with two crucial goals, the latter the winner against Liverpool, after being set up by his 'too similar' strike partner.

Redknapp rarely plays the two together from the start, but once the game has opened up it is noticeable Spurs finish games much stronger and look more threatening with both on the field. Under Ramos Spurs looked lightweight in midfield.Redknapp has installed the formidable Tom Huddlestone as his midfield general to enable Luca Modric to be moved further up the field, where he is far more damaging.

Redknapp's first appearance at White Hart Lane produced the desired effect. The Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has been on borrowed time with the fans and was in need of a quick return on his latest investment. He got it. Redknapp's ability to galvanise an under-performing team yielded immediate results as the club registered their first Premier League win of the season with Bent and Pavlyuchenko both on target against Bolton.

That result lifted expectations that with Redknapp at the helm, relegation for the first time since 1978 would be avoided. The next match raised expectations that this season could spring more ups than it has downs after all. Pulsating, thrilling - editors exhausted every superlative to describe the 4-4 draw against Arsenal at fortress Emirates. The Spurs substitute Aaron Lennon, brought on to stretch a tiring Arsenal defence, gained a point with virtually the last kick of the game.

It didn't matter that our winless league streak against the Gunners was extended, what we saw on the pitch was Redknapp's brand of entertaining football mixed with his own indefatigable knack of upsetting the bigger teams. Last weekend saw the welcomed return of another trait that had been missing - luck, the good kind - as Spurs rode theirs against a table-topping Liverpool side with the help of the woodwork and a Jamie Carragher own goal to win 2-1.

But it would be a grave injustice to attribute Redknapp's influence on the team to luck. He is doing a magnificent job with the same group of players Ramos had. He has the same headache of nursing the club's best player, Ledley King, through the season with dodgy knees limiting him to one game in three. But Redknapp has instilled a winning belief and mentality to his charges that has also seen them get their Uefa Cup campaign back on track following Thursday's 4-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb. The players play with poise and purpose and with a game plan that, so far, is being carried out to the letter.

As long as the players keep carrying out those instructions, expect to hear the cockerel crowing loud and proud over this suburb of north London for some time to come. @Email:sluckings@thenational.ae

THE BIO

Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.

Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.

Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.

Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.

 

 

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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School counsellors on mental well-being

Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.

Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.

Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.

“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.

“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.

“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.

“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”

Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.

The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.

At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.

“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.

“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.

"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”

RACE CARD

6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 – Group 1 (PA) $65,000 (Dirt) 2,000m

7.05pm: Handicap (TB) $65,000 (Turf) 1,800m

7.40pm: Meydan Classic – Listed (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,600m

8.15pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $195,000 (T) 2,810m

8.50pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (T) 2,000m

9.25pm: Meydan Challenge – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,400m

Sleep Well Beast
The National
4AD

The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre

Specs%3A%202024%20McLaren%20Artura%20Spider
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Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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Singham Again

Director: Rohit Shetty

Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone

Rating: 3/5

UAE%20Warriors%2045%20Results
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India team for Sri Lanka series

Test squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharath (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Sourabh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.

T20 squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan

Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

Cricket World Cup League 2

UAE squad

Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind

Fixtures

Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE

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