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Redknapp: It’s unfair if I leave Tottenham

Comment: 0 February 17th, 2012 by: admin

PART time yes, full time no.

At the moment, that is what Harry Redknapp has to say if he gets appointed as new boss of the England squad.

He is amenable to manage the Three Lions on a part-time basis during the Euro 2012 but leaving Tottenham Hotspur totally is something he could not do.

To do both, he emphasised, is impossible.

“Part-time? In the short term it’s possible for the European Championship,” he said on Thursday. “In the long term, it’s not possible to manage a club team and a national team.”

He admitted that it is difficult to manage in the Premier League without having to worry about the England team as well.

“You want to be watching England players and you want you want to be watching the opposition,” he added.  “Whoever they give the job to could only do the one job. Maybe for the Euros it’s not such a problem, but once they are finished and the new season starts the manager has to be a Premier League manager – if it’s someone who manages in the Premier League – or the England manager.”

Redknapp emerged as the hot favourite to assume the managerial job at England after the resignation of Fabio Capello recently but the Football Association have yet to name a permanent successor.

The FA, however, is amenable to idea that someone like Redknapp could call the shots for the squad during this summer’s event in Ukraine and Poland and later resume duties with his Premier League side.

At the helm of the squad temporarily is Stuart Pearce, the Under-21 boss, who on Thursday will name the lineup battling Holland in a friendly at Wembley on 29 February.

If that happens, it would leave England with the prospect of having four different managers in six months.

Redknapp, said he would be a liar if he was not the popular choice for the England job. “I know I am. It’s been everywhere, in every paper every day – but it’s not easy.”

He said it would not be fair if he turns his back on the Spurs who are set to face Stevenage in the FA Cup than Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea in their next assignments.

“To walk away now, when we’re in such a good position, it wouldn’t be fair on Tottenham,” he said.

The Spurs are currently third in the league table, seven points off leaders Manchester City and five behind Manchester United.

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