Harry Redknapp Blasts Spurs' Sock Cutters
The life of a Premier League manager is a tough one at the easiest of times. Even more so when you have to deal with the crisis of players cutting the feet off their playing socks. It's been happening for years, but Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has today vented his anger at Spurs players for continually cutting the feet off their socks and using tape to cover it up.
Harry Redknapp wasn't impressed with Bale and Adebayor's ''Look at our socks'' celebration
The likes of Emmanuel Adebayor, Gareth Bale and Luka Modric are just a few to realise the benefits of customising their standard issue playing socks - a bizarre practise made famous by Cristiano Ronaldo during his Manchester United days. The method is simple; wear a shorter/thinner tennis sock under your standard kit socks, cut the toe from the longer socks and tape the two accordingly! This not-so-secret act of football players is known to offer better traction, giving you more grip in your boots.
Cristiano Ronaldo made the black white sock look famous during his Manchester Untied days
This simple act of customisation hasn't impressed the Tottenham gaffer who recently blew his lid in a dressing room rage, after continually getting frustrated by the sock and scissor trick. Professionals often train in short tennis socks as they prefer them to thicker football socks. Of course, Tottenham players aren't the only culprits, with Robin Van Persie and Cristiano Ronaldo both famed for having rolls of tape around their socks.
Professional players often train in short tennis socks, prefering them to the thicker football socks
Premier League referees have been alerted to the issue and are beginning to clamp down on players who leave their different coloured socks on show. While it's an easier task for teams with white kits and socks, players with coloured home/away strips may need to pack an extra roll of tape for future games!
What do you make of Harry Redknapp's latest outburst? Should kit manufacturers be making thinner socks suited to the professionals requirements? Do you cut the toes from your playing socks? Join the conversation online.