Part of the problem, in the eyes of Redknapp and those of a similar mindset, is that modern football is considered to have become too “manufactured”. Box-ticking exercises at grass roots level upwards are making it increasingly difficult formercurial entertainers such as Paul Gascoigne, Ronaldinho and Diego Maradona to be produced.
Redknapp added when asked if that is the case: “Absolutely, I think now suddenly everybody thought they were Pep Guardiola - the goalkeeper rolls it out to a centre-half, he gives it to the other centre-half, back to the goalie, out to the centre-half, over to the right-back, back to the centre.
“Suddenly, the goalie is having more touches with his feet than any other player on the pitch! Central defenders are having too many touches - half of them can't play really and end up fannying about with a ball, losing it and it ends up in the back of the net. I find it strange.
“Get it up to a big centre-forward who can hold the ball up and when you get it wide, get it in the box for people who can head it, attack it and score goals. Nowadays, it doesn't happen very often, we keep pass, pass, pass for the sake of it.”