Harry wants England job

HARRY REDKNAPP has challenged the Football Association to appoint him England manager.

Redknapp was in Bloemfontein on Sunday to witness the Three Lions’ World Cup demise at the hands of old rivals Germany.

The Tottenham boss has been installed as one of the favourites to replace Fabio Capello, who will find out in a fortnight whether he will retain his £6million–a–year job.

There has always been a belief in some quarters that the FA would steer clear of the former West Ham United manager due to off–field issues.

However, Redknapp has now put his own name in the frame by insisting the job should go to an Englishman — and indicating he would leap at the chance.

“This guy (Capello) has a fantastic record at club level,” he said.

“But look, we’ve had a go with it now. When he finally moves on, in four years or whatever, surely there has to be a young guy or somebody in this country. Surely we have to find a manager from England, an English manager.

“I’m not talking about a Scottish manager or an Irish manager, I’m talking about an English manager because this is where we’re from. This is our country.

“We should be able to produce someone who can manage the England football team and, let’s be honest, they can’t do any worse than what they (Sven–Goran Eriksson and Capello) have done.

“I am English. Who wouldn’t want to manage England?

“No–one is ever going to turn that job down. If you’re English you cannot not want to manage your country.”

Redknapp is hugely popular and also has a reputation for creating attacking teams.

Yet these factors alone may not be enough, especially with a court case over alleged tax evasion currently pending.

In any case, as yet there is no vacancy.

Capello had a meeting with Club England chairman Sir David Richards yesterday morning, where it was agreed the Italian would be informed in two weeks whether he was keeping his job or not.

Having just signed a revised contract that runs until after Euro 2012, Capello clearly has command of the situation, especially as he insists he does not want to go anywhere.

“I would prefer to stay but I respect the FA’s decision,” said Capello.

“It is an intelligent decision.

“I will accept whatever the FA decides.

“You know I received a lot of offers to be a manager at other clubs. I said that to (former chairman) Lord Triesman. But I decided to stay here because I like being England manager.

“I spoke with Sir David about the two years that I have worked with the FA. They appreciate my work and what all my staff have done.

“He told me he has two weeks to make the decision.”



Blatter’s apology

WORLD CUP: FIFA president Sepp Blatter has apologised to the Football Association over Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal against Germany.

He said FIFA “will naturally take on board the discussion on technology and will have the first opportunity to discuss this in July at the business meeting of the International FA Board”.

Blatter added: "It happened in 1966 and then 44 years later – though it was not quite the same.

“I apologised to England and Mexico. The English said ‘thank you and accepted that you can win (some) and you lose (some), and the Mexicans bowed their heads and accepted it.”