We’d taken only two points from eight games under Juande Ramos in 2008/09 when Harry Redknapp came in.
I’d not been involved directly with Ramos, because I was with the reserve team. But Harry – he’d always called me ‘Clivey’ since I’d played for him at West Ham – said to me: “Clivey, what’s going on? This is ridiculous with this group.”
“Look, they’re playing scared, Harry.”
Ramos (below) was black and white. If you were in and part of his group, you were in. If you made a mistake and he cast you aside, you were out.
Harry picked up on that straight away, and got the group together. “You’re far better than the points you’ve got.”
You could sense a weight had been lifted. Harry started to get results; the players were liberated, and went from strength to strength. He also asked me to work with the first team – it was fantastic to be a part of.