Crucial moments in history call for great leaders. So it was last month that Tottenham Hotspur - bottom of the Barclays Premier League, without a win all season and heading for relegation - appointed Harry Redknapp as manager.

And so it was last week that the United States of America - fighting two unwanted wars in foreign lands, unloved by historic allies and facing economic meltdown at home - elected Barack Obama.

You might think that the first black president of the US and charismatic orator has little in common with the chirpy cockney who once played on the wing for West Ham United. Yet if Mr Obama can bring to the White House the qualities that 'arry has brought to White Hart Lane then the whole world might begin to feel the benefit.

Consider the facts. Since Harry took over, Spurs have been unbeaten in six games, winning five and climbing off the bottom of the table. Players mired in mediocrity have magically been transformed by the 'arry effect. You might think that all this demonstrates is that highly paid footballers are incapable of thinking for themselves or performing at their best without constant measures of a cocktail of confidence and fear. And you'd be right.

But what if Mr Obama could take the same momentum into the Oval Office? Troops would be withdrawn from Iraq and Afghanistan with no resulting anarchy on the streets of Baghdad and Osama bin Laden safely handcuffed on the last flight out of Kabul. Hysteria on Wall Street would be calmed and America would regain its respect and influence overseas.

This seems to be a moment for leaders, a time when the people of the world (and Tottenham fans) are turning to a charismatic figure who can shine a light in the darkness and, by sheer force of personality, re-energise the spirit of the age. Gordon Brown has already single-handedly prevented the world banking system from tumbling off a precipice - or at least he has revived his poll ratings by claiming to. History tells us that times like this come along every once in a while - think of Roosevelt in 1933, Churchill in 1940 or Alf Ramsey in 1966.

So will “Barry” be calling Harry at Tottenham's Chigwell training headquarters to seek guidance? If so, I suspect that the advice he would receive would be little different to that provided on the front cover of the new issue of the football magazine When Saturday Comes. A picture of Redknapp directing operations from the touchline has the speech bubble: “Run around a lot and kick it in the net.”

Ah, so that's the secret of great leadership.

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