The Boy Who “Outdid” Harry Houdini
Erich Weiss came into the world on April 6, 1874, in Budapest, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Henry James Redknapp first cried out on March 2, 1947, in the heart of the United Kingdom – London. From an early age, Erich was captivated by tricks and illusions, dedicating his life to them. Having moved across the Atlantic with his parents as a child, he introduced himself to everyone in the New World as Harry. Henry was also obsessed with a special kind of magic – the kind that constantly kept him on the football pitch and still enthralls him today. Those close to him, whether by chance or not, called him… Harry.
Erich is still regarded today as America’s first superhero, the great-grandfather of Superman, the King of Handcuffs, and the greatest magician and illusionist, specializing in escaping after being tied up and locked. Henry, on the other hand, continues to be a master at “untangling” complex and delicate situations—especially when it comes to teams in dire straits, facing the threat of losing their top-flight status—and remains one of the most respected managers in the UK over the past twenty-plus years.
The differences between them are so numerous that it’s hard to list them—ranging from the century, era, and circumstances they lived in, to the fields in which they excelled. Yet there is a single, entirely sufficient thing that links them and ensures they will be remembered for many, many years ahead—their nickname.
Erich was influenced by the famous French magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin and, inspired by his story, proclaimed himself Harry Houdini. Henry, on the other hand, began his career in the Premier League in 1994 as manager of West Ham and, a decade later, was already being compared to the American marvel of Hungarian origin.
One of the greatest “tricks” of the modern Harry Houdini, known to all of us simply as Harry Redknapp, was performed during the 2002/2003 season, when he took charge of the two-time champion (1949 and 1950) and FA Cup winner (1939 and 2008), Portsmouth. The Fratton Park team had never before had the privilege of playing in the Premier League, and the dream of Pompey’s most famous and colorful fan, John Portsmouth Football Club Westwood, along with his companions, was that the former defender and manager of the Hammers would bring them a joy that no one else had ever managed to deliver. For this purpose, Redknapp, who had briefly served as Portsmouth’s director before taking the helm, took under his wing a young boy he had brought to Upton Park the previous year and believed could be his secret weapon in the historic naval port.
The 23-year-old Svetoslav Todorov struggled to establish himself in the ranks of the Hammers, competing for places with stars like Davor Šuker, Paolo Di Canio, and the rising talent Frédéric Kanouté. Nevertheless, Svetlio made his Premier League debut against the five-time European champion Liverpool, scored his first goal for West Ham in a 2–3 FA Cup defeat to Tottenham, and opened his Premier League account by netting against Middlesbrough. This, however, seemed more than enough to leave a positive impression on the father of Jamie Redknapp—who played 308 games for Liverpool—and the uncle of Chelsea’s all-time top scorer, and arguably one of the greatest English forwards of all time, Frank Lampard.
The forward, born on 30 August 1978 in Dobrich, joined Fratton Park in the winter of 2002, at a time when Albion’s new beginning was anything but smooth. A red card in only his second match against Preston North End (0–2) and just 3 appearances with 1 goal during the entire spring half-season made for a difficult start. However, that summer Todorov underwent a complete transformation, turning into a ruthless goal-scoring machine. Having made his professional debut with his hometown club Dobruja, he hit his stride at Portsmouth the following season, dazzling the stands across the Channel match after match with his scoring exploits.
The day is Tuesday, 15 April 2003. Portsmouth is on the verge of the greatest success in its modern history. The team, led by Harry Redknapp, needs an essential victory at home against Burnley to secure the long-awaited first promotion to the Premier League, marking a return to the top tier of English football after 15 years spent in the lower divisions.
It’s the 73rd minute of the match, just over a quarter of an hour remaining until the final whistle. Everyone’s nerves are stretched to the limit. The score is 0–0. Promotion is so close, yet the chasing teams at the top of the table—including the season’s surprise in the Premier League, Leicester City—are still in the hunt. On top of everything, the legendary “artilleryman” Paul Merson missed a penalty right at the start of the match. Later, however, it would become clear that fate has its ways: the two-time English champion with Arsenal inadvertently does a huge favor for Todorov, giving him the chance to etch his name in golden letters in the history of the proud English club.
The moment of truth has arrived. Nigel Quashie carries the ball down the left flank, enters the penalty area, and threads a sharp diagonal pass toward the near post. There, even for a brief second left unmarked, Todorov is merciless. A lightning-fast strike follows. The breath of the fans, hungry for top-level football, catches for a second—and then erupts into a thunderous roar. The supporters are ecstatic—the ball is in Burnley’s net, and the deliriously happy 24-year-old Bulgarian is swept up into their arms in the stands.
“This moment is something truly unique for me. Thanks to that goal, Portsmouth returned to the Premier League. The feeling I had then cannot be described in words. I wish every Bulgarian footballer could experience the same joy I felt at a packed Fratton Park,” Todorov recalls with a smile today. He is currently dedicating himself to passing on his skills to the young talents of Bulgaria’s under-19 national team.
A few weeks after his heroics against Burnley, the four-time Bulgarian champion with Litex scored a lightning-fast hat-trick within just 10 minutes against Bradford City in a crushing 5-0 away victory. These goals also earned him the division’s most prestigious individual accolade—the top scorer award.
On the occasion of this unique achievement, the first Bulgarian to become both champion and top scorer in England looks back at Harry “Houdini” Redknapp’s words in the locker room, just seconds after the rout at Valley Parade: “Todi, I can’t believe it! You’re the top scorer of the league…!”
Even today, Svetlyo remembers those words from the man who believed in his abilities and gave him the chance to become a fan favorite and legend at Pompey. And they, in turn, nearly 20 years after his historic goal against Burnley and 16 years after his last match in their club’s shirt, continue to make him feel as if he never left Fratton Park.
The top scorer of the old English First Division often returns to the home of the club with which he shared so many unforgettable moments. And just as he secured a place for Portsmouth and its fans in the Premier League after so many years away, they in turn awarded him a place in the “Hall of Fame,” which he proudly entered on April 1, 2016.
Erich Weiss came into the world on April 6, 1874, in Budapest, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Henry James Redknapp first cried out on March 2, 1947, in the heart of the United Kingdom – London. From an early age, Erich was captivated by tricks and illusions, dedicating his life to them. Having moved across the Atlantic with his parents as a child, he introduced himself to everyone in the New World as Harry. Henry was also obsessed with a special kind of magic – the kind that constantly kept him on the football pitch and still enthralls him today. Those close to him, whether by chance or not, called him… Harry.
Erich is still regarded today as America’s first superhero, the great-grandfather of Superman, the King of Handcuffs, and the greatest magician and illusionist, specializing in escaping after being tied up and locked. Henry, on the other hand, continues to be a master at “untangling” complex and delicate situations—especially when it comes to teams in dire straits, facing the threat of losing their top-flight status—and remains one of the most respected managers in the UK over the past twenty-plus years.
The differences between them are so numerous that it’s hard to list them—ranging from the century, era, and circumstances they lived in, to the fields in which they excelled. Yet there is a single, entirely sufficient thing that links them and ensures they will be remembered for many, many years ahead—their nickname.
Erich was influenced by the famous French magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin and, inspired by his story, proclaimed himself Harry Houdini. Henry, on the other hand, began his career in the Premier League in 1994 as manager of West Ham and, a decade later, was already being compared to the American marvel of Hungarian origin.
One of the greatest “tricks” of the modern Harry Houdini, known to all of us simply as Harry Redknapp, was performed during the 2002/2003 season, when he took charge of the two-time champion (1949 and 1950) and FA Cup winner (1939 and 2008), Portsmouth. The Fratton Park team had never before had the privilege of playing in the Premier League, and the dream of Pompey’s most famous and colorful fan, John Portsmouth Football Club Westwood, along with his companions, was that the former defender and manager of the Hammers would bring them a joy that no one else had ever managed to deliver. For this purpose, Redknapp, who had briefly served as Portsmouth’s director before taking the helm, took under his wing a young boy he had brought to Upton Park the previous year and believed could be his secret weapon in the historic naval port.
The 23-year-old Svetoslav Todorov struggled to establish himself in the ranks of the Hammers, competing for places with stars like Davor Šuker, Paolo Di Canio, and the rising talent Frédéric Kanouté. Nevertheless, Svetlio made his Premier League debut against the five-time European champion Liverpool, scored his first goal for West Ham in a 2–3 FA Cup defeat to Tottenham, and opened his Premier League account by netting against Middlesbrough. This, however, seemed more than enough to leave a positive impression on the father of Jamie Redknapp—who played 308 games for Liverpool—and the uncle of Chelsea’s all-time top scorer, and arguably one of the greatest English forwards of all time, Frank Lampard.
The forward, born on 30 August 1978 in Dobrich, joined Fratton Park in the winter of 2002, at a time when Albion’s new beginning was anything but smooth. A red card in only his second match against Preston North End (0–2) and just 3 appearances with 1 goal during the entire spring half-season made for a difficult start. However, that summer Todorov underwent a complete transformation, turning into a ruthless goal-scoring machine. Having made his professional debut with his hometown club Dobruja, he hit his stride at Portsmouth the following season, dazzling the stands across the Channel match after match with his scoring exploits.
The day is Tuesday, 15 April 2003. Portsmouth is on the verge of the greatest success in its modern history. The team, led by Harry Redknapp, needs an essential victory at home against Burnley to secure the long-awaited first promotion to the Premier League, marking a return to the top tier of English football after 15 years spent in the lower divisions.
It’s the 73rd minute of the match, just over a quarter of an hour remaining until the final whistle. Everyone’s nerves are stretched to the limit. The score is 0–0. Promotion is so close, yet the chasing teams at the top of the table—including the season’s surprise in the Premier League, Leicester City—are still in the hunt. On top of everything, the legendary “artilleryman” Paul Merson missed a penalty right at the start of the match. Later, however, it would become clear that fate has its ways: the two-time English champion with Arsenal inadvertently does a huge favor for Todorov, giving him the chance to etch his name in golden letters in the history of the proud English club.
The moment of truth has arrived. Nigel Quashie carries the ball down the left flank, enters the penalty area, and threads a sharp diagonal pass toward the near post. There, even for a brief second left unmarked, Todorov is merciless. A lightning-fast strike follows. The breath of the fans, hungry for top-level football, catches for a second—and then erupts into a thunderous roar. The supporters are ecstatic—the ball is in Burnley’s net, and the deliriously happy 24-year-old Bulgarian is swept up into their arms in the stands.
“This moment is something truly unique for me. Thanks to that goal, Portsmouth returned to the Premier League. The feeling I had then cannot be described in words. I wish every Bulgarian footballer could experience the same joy I felt at a packed Fratton Park,” Todorov recalls with a smile today. He is currently dedicating himself to passing on his skills to the young talents of Bulgaria’s under-19 national team.
A few weeks after his heroics against Burnley, the four-time Bulgarian champion with Litex scored a lightning-fast hat-trick within just 10 minutes against Bradford City in a crushing 5-0 away victory. These goals also earned him the division’s most prestigious individual accolade—the top scorer award.
On the occasion of this unique achievement, the first Bulgarian to become both champion and top scorer in England looks back at Harry “Houdini” Redknapp’s words in the locker room, just seconds after the rout at Valley Parade: “Todi, I can’t believe it! You’re the top scorer of the league…!”
Even today, Svetlyo remembers those words from the man who believed in his abilities and gave him the chance to become a fan favorite and legend at Pompey. And they, in turn, nearly 20 years after his historic goal against Burnley and 16 years after his last match in their club’s shirt, continue to make him feel as if he never left Fratton Park.
The top scorer of the old English First Division often returns to the home of the club with which he shared so many unforgettable moments. And just as he secured a place for Portsmouth and its fans in the Premier League after so many years away, they in turn awarded him a place in the “Hall of Fame,” which he proudly entered on April 1, 2016.
