Vince Lombardi. Tom Landry. John Wooden. Joe Pa. These coaches built and molded magnificent teams. They laid the groundwork for successful players with assembly line-like precision season after season. Now-a-days more credit is given to the General Manager for a team’s short lived success. Longevity is in the coaches, though. The coaches.

I noticed the same thing happening in soccer after the 2008 European championship. It bothered me, sure, but it didn’t surprise me. I haven’t been bothered by a managerial move until my post last week on Tottenham. A manager abandoning his team mid-season to join another team? In the same league? Who, by the way, is performing worse than the team he’s currently employed with? No, can’t be true…

Harry Redknapp is apparently a great coach. He’s salvaged a few teams on the verge of relegation, which is what he’s built his reputation on. Ultimately he’s the man responsible for Portsmouth FC’s (or Pompey as their fans call them) success and even existence in the English Premier League. Pompey won the Division One title in 2003 with Redknapp at the helm, thus earning promotion to the Prem. In Portsmouth’s first premier league season, Redknapp left in November, a third into the season, to become Southampton’s manager. Unable to keep them from relegation, he stayed on for one more season and when they did not regain promotion, he left in December 2005 – again, midseason.

Portsmouth welcomed him back with open arms as they had been spending dismal seasons at the bottom of the premier league table. It took some time, but Redknapp had Pompey on the road to success, finishing in the eighth spot which qualified them for UEFA cup, the club’s first European competition in their history (they even went on to win their first game, which sent them to the group stages).

Redknapp with FA Cup

The dream season for Pompey reached its climax in the infamous Wembley Stadium where they won England’s coveted FA Cup, their first. It was doubly sweet because they defeated Manchester United along the way. So all was well in the Port City, and Redknapp and his club went into this season with some high expectations. With England’s own David James in goal, Jermain Defoe, and the addition of Peter Crouch, things were looking up. Many picked them to finish in the top half of the table again, including me.

Perhaps the fear of actually having expectations other than, “just make it so we don’t get relegated, Harry!” scared old Redknapp off. He recently took the offer to manage Tottenham. Yes – the team who spent hundreds of millions of dollars only to be in danger of relegation. Oh – and lest we forget that he once again screwed Pompey by leaving halfway into the season. What was that conversation like?

“Hey Harry, old chap? Stop fulfilling people’s dreams there in Portsmouth and come to North London where expectations are irrationally set by our fans. We’re in dead last and have no money to spend, so you have to win with what we got. And don’t worry about leaving us midseason. If you don’t get the bloody job done, we’ll run you out of here. So what’ya say?” He said yes to this offer? Talk about fear of success, Harry.

But wait – here’s the kicker: Redknapp was given an award by the city of Portsmouth two days after he resigned and took the Tottenham job – and he actually showed up! Don’t believe it? You can watch the video at Dave’s Football Blog.

I’ve read about how Portsmouth has achieved as much as possible - the pinnacle reached - and that they don’t have the money to continue to contend like they’d wish. So it is therefore unforgivable for Redknapp to go to a club that can reach a level of success that continuously qualify them for European play. But to me, it seems like another typical move by a cowardly manager who feared lofty expectations by his own creation.

So what do guys like Harry do? Find a place where there is nowhere to go but

Redknapp with his new club, Tottenham

up so everyone will revel in your brilliance. Such is the current state at White Hart Lane, as Tottenham won their first game under Redknapp’s guidance and then upset Liverpool this weekend 2-1. But don’t stay to celebrate too long, Harry, because you might be expected to actually improve and achieve something other than getting out of the basement.

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On the flip side of Redknapp we have fellow Scotsmen Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes. Ferguson, the manager at Manchester United has been there since 1986 and his accolades are unmatched. He’s apparently announced his desire to step down in 2010. Naturally United fans want to know who will replace him. One name that has recently been mentioned is Inter Milan’s manager, Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho is the thriving clubs’ version of Redknapp. He won the Champions League while at FC Porto, then went on to Chelsea and steered them to their

Enjoy this image while it lasts, Inter fans

first premier league title in over fifty years. He won another and then left after some disappointing finishes in Champions League. His departure was perhaps more due to the unrealistic expectations of the fans and owners than Redknapp’s. Now he is at Inter Milan priming them for a return to stardom, trying to solidify the club ahead of traditional Italian powers Juventus and AC Milan.

My advice to United is to keep looking. Apparently there is something with this guy that causes management and fans to turn against him after only a

Sir Alex has brought titles galore to Old Trafford

little success. Don’t make a mess just to temporarily uphold what Ferguson has established at Old Trafford. You have to look at these candidates and think long-term.

You won’t replace Sir Alex, so don’t try to. Find someone with a little thing called commitment. I hate to say it, but Everton’s David Moyes seems all too perfect for this. He is dedicated, evidenced by recently signing a new contract extension

Next Scotsman at Old Trafford?

for a club that is incessantly inept in off-season acquisitions. Despite this, Moyes praises the club and expresses his dedication to make things right at Goodison Park. I’d love to see him take over Scotland’s national team some day, but with United available, maybe Moyes will be the next Scot to manage at Old Trafford. At least you can trust that he won’t be like Redknapp or Mourinho and leave after what he achieves what he wants.