Harry Redknapp blames 'badly loaded Tottenham contract' for missing out on England job

Current QPR boss was the favourite but lost out to Roy Hodgson

Pa
Thursday 04 April 2013 17:18 BST
Comments
Harry Redknapp reacts after QPR’s defeat to Aston Villa
Harry Redknapp reacts after QPR’s defeat to Aston Villa (Reuters)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Harry Redknapp insists he would reject any approach to become England manager and blames his contract at Tottenham for his failure to succeed Fabio Capello.

Redknapp was the strong favourite to fill a post he had long coveted when Capello resigned in February last year, only for the Football Association to appoint Roy Hodgson.

The 66-year-old QPR manager, who was sacked by Tottenham in June after failing to agree a new contract, believes the cost of luring him from White Hart Lane convinced the FA to look elsewhere.

"I wouldn't take it [the England job] now, no. Not now, not in the future," Redknapp told Twentyfour7 Football magazine.

"That was my time, really, if I was going to get it. Last year there were a lot of things that went against me surrounding that massive contractual clause.

"People will always deny that is the reason, the FA couldn't say that and I won't say, but it didn't help me.

"I had such a badly loaded contract it was crazy, in Tottenham's favour. That's what you get for not reading your contract properly.

"It was a massive amount that someone would have had to pay to get me out of it.

"If they sacked me it wasn't so massive and that was a bolt out of the blue, a shock, I genuinely never saw it coming."

Redknapp insists Tottenham's decision to sack him was made by owner Joe Lewis and not chief executive Daniel Levy.

"Was it Levy who cut the cord? It was other people, the owner of the club that decided," he said.

PA

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in