Former Tottenham coach Joe Jordan can't believe the criticism of Harry Redknapp's tactical acumen after his sacking.

Redknapp has been replaced by the youthful Andre Villas-Boas at Spurs.

"Some of the things I've read since Harry left have made me chuckle," Jordan told the Mail on Sunday.

"We were told he was not only being replaced by a younger man [Andre Villas-Boas], but a young man who was a tactician. It suggests some people don't rate Harry on tactics. That would be wrong.

"They say his style is about motivation, but he's far more than being purely a motivator.

"No one who knows him or has worked with him would think that. Harry spends a lot of time on preparation. He keeps the game simple and wants the players to enjoy what they're doing. He lets them play and is confident in their ability.

"They will have responsibilities, but he thinks long and hard about who he names, the teams he wants and the best way to take on the opposition. You cannot possibly say he is anything other than very tactically aware.

"He is a brave manager who'll change things when needed. If it means changing, say, from three defenders he will make that decision.

"He can blend players, form partnerships. He can mentally picture a Rafael van der Vaart working with a Peter Crouch and scoring goals from the start.

"He has a great memory and will recall a player he saw only once 10 years earlier."