Harty on the England manager’s job and Albion

SHOCK, horror, how will we ever get over it? The people’s choice Harry Redknapp has been passed over for the coveted England manager’s job with the appointment of Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson, a man with top level experience at both club and international level, a winner of the prized LMA manager of the year award, when he took Fulham to a European final, and one of the most respected coaches in this country.

Despite a campaign, which drew more attention than the Olympic torch, in my opinion, Redknapp was never going to get the job, hence the FA’s statement that Hodgson was the only candidate.

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Never before has the phrase you reap what you sow been more apt.

First and foremost, Redknapp’s part in the dismissal of Billy Bonds at West Ham United is well documented.

And, the other factor, which in my opinion is a time bomb the FA could not ignore, is the ongoing situation at Portsmouth.

If Pompey sadly do go to the wall, then I would imagine a lot more will come out about how it was allowed to happen.

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Could the FA have risked having the national manager possibly implicated in the demise of a once great football team?

Hodgson is not the popular choice, but then again, 2,000 years ago the people chose Barabbas, and some will argue that he’s the safe option.

Personally, I think he’s the best option. Forget his time at Liverpool, where with Kenny Dalglish in the background he was as revered as the man who shot Bambi’s mum.

He’s a better coach than Redknapp and with the best players available to him, I firmly believe he will be successful.

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And, when that happens, given what I’ve heard and read this week, humble pie will replace fish and chips as the national dish.

Everyone makes mistakes, the Albion included, they once told Ian Wright he wasn’t good enough and refused a young Roy Keane a trial.

Most fans would have accepted a top-10 Championship finish before the season started, but some supporters might argue that had flaws in the squad been rectified, then that elusive play-off place might have been attained.

Had we had a goalkeeper better than anything currently in the squad, would the season have turned out differently?

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We’ll never know. But, in his quest for a keeper, perhaps Gus Poyet needs to return to a potential Albion mistake of yesteryear.

In my opinion, John Sullivan is a better keeper than anyone currently at the Albion. He is now playing, with Charlton, at Championship level, with the ability to play at a higher level, why not bite the bullet and re-sign him?