Southampton 1 Burnley 1: Farce stranger than science fiction

Lowe says it is 'too early' for Woodward - but rugby knight is 'part of the structure'

Just finding a manager would be a start after Redknapp's departure at midnight on Friday, a decision that Lowe, the club's chairman, admitted had left him "in shock". Redknapp has gone, with a return trip to Portsmouth his intended goal, and there are many who think the time is now right for performance director Sir Clive Woodward to take over, but not Lowe, who last night said it was too soon for the one-time saviour of English rugby union to take up such an advanced role.

"I think in the short term it is too early," said Lowe. "He's part of the structure that we want to put in place. It doesn't necessarily affect the first team. What we are trying to do is make sure our structure is right to take us further long term."

The job is also unlikely to go to Dave Bassett, who was Redknapp's assistant and who was in the dug-out for this game. His contract expires at the end of this month. Could it be Dennis Wise, a Southampton player and former Millwall player-manager? Lowe said it was all a matter for board discussion. With eight managers gone in eight years during Lowe's tenure, they are presumably very bored with discussing who is next in line at the St Mary's Stadium.

The chairman said they would proceed on a game-by-game basis but, in the meantime, the issue of Redknapp's formal separation has to be dealt with. Lowe wants compensation from Portsmouth for the remaining six months of Redknapp's contract, thought to be about £175,000, but no offer has been forthcoming from his opposite number, Milan Mandaric.

Lowe will now ask the Premier League to investigate comments made by Mandaric in revealing Redknapp was a target. "It's incorrect to discuss other people's employees in interviews with Sky Sports," Lowe added. "I've spoken to Richard Scudamore at the Premier League and asked him to look at the coverage and whether it is appropriate." When asked if Redknapp will return, Lowe said: "It's unlikely, he's made it clear it is not something he considers appropriate."

Redknapp, who left Ports-mouth five days short of a year ago, gave his side of the story earlier in the day claiming he had given himself no way back after asking to speak to Portsmouth but that his return to Fratton Park was not a done deal. He said: "I felt once I told Rupert Lowe I wanted to speak to Portsmouth I had burned my bridges at Southampton." More pertinently, he added: "I felt, to be honest, that I was only keeping the hot seat warm for somebody else."

Redknapp's latest gambit did not endear him to the local fans. "Who the fuck is Harry Redknapp?" was one such chant, although Lowe did not escape the vitriol either, with the refrain "We want Lowe out" ringing around the ground. Lowe took those insults readily, claiming he would rather hear them directed at him than at his team, who, hardly surprisingly in the circumstances, are looking more directionless by the game.

There was, briefly at least, some good news for Saints who, in the middle of all this, are trying to gain promotion back to the Premiership. To that end Danny Higginbotham's 33rd minute penalty, after Micah Hyde's foul on Rory Delap, brought a cheer of a different sort to St Mary's.

Burnley's equaliser came after 66 minutes when Graham Branch crossed for Ade Akinbiyi to head home at the far post. It completed a miserable day for Southampton who not only lost their manager but two valuable points as well.

EXIT STRATEGY: Harry and Milan together again?

2004, 12 May: The Portsmouth chairman, Milan Mandaric, looks to replace Redknapp's assistant, Jim Smith, with a Continental coach.

14 May: A crisis meeting is held to settle the dispute.

15 Nov: Velimir Zajec appointed executive director at Fratton Park.

24 Nov: After one game under the new structure Redknapp resigns, citing personal reasons. States he will take a break from football.

8 Dec: Joins Southampton.

2005, 15 May: Southampton relegated to the Championship.

25 July: Redknapp joined at St Mary's by a new performance director, Sir Clive Woodward.

1 Dec: Mandaric confirms he wants to talk to Redknapp about a possible return to Fratton Park.

2 Dec: Southampton say they require compensation if Redknapp talks to Portsmouth.

3 Dec: Redknapp regards "his employment with the club as being at an end", according to the club's chairman, Rupert Lowe, who threatens to report the matter to the Premier League.