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Rediff.com  » Sports » Redknapp expects to finish season with Tottenham

Redknapp expects to finish season with Tottenham

February 11, 2012 17:56 IST
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Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp aims to finish the season with the Premier League club despite the clamour for him to be appointed as England coach, he said.

"I hope so," said Redknapp. "I'd be very surprised if I didn't finish the season with Tottenham, that's for sure.

Harry Redknapp"I haven't thought about not being here at the end of the season. I've got no idea why I shouldn't."

Spurs are riding high in third place and their success has made Redknapp the favourite to take over from Italian Fabio Capello, who resigned as England boss on Wednesday.

The FA are drawing up a shortlist of candidates but the British media have installed Redknapp as the peoples' choice.

However, having been found not guilty of tax evasion on Wednesday after a two-week trial, Redknapp said he needed "a few days" to recover from the ordeal before considering the future.

"I don't think you ever think you're going to be in a position (where you will be England manager)," he said.

"I haven't got a big ego. I don't think I should be manager of England. I'm very lucky to be manager of Tottenham.

"There have been cleverer boys about than me who haven't had the opportunities I've had."

England regularly qualify for major tournaments but fail to deliver on the big stage and find themselves without a captain or a manager heading into Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.

But Redknapp said the England job was a difficult one to take on. "It's aggro, isn't it? Let's not kid ourselves. It's aggravation, to be honest. You know what is coming."

Asked about the failure of a string of England managers to repeat the success of Alf Ramsey, who led the national team to World Cup success in 1966, Redknapp said he felt the pressure of playing at Wembley Stadium was part of the problem.

"They do go into their shells a bit," he said. "You wonder sometimes whether you'd rather see the games played at Old Trafford or Anfield, where there's an atmosphere when we play at home where it's intimidating. I've often thought that.

"Wembley is a showpiece stadium, with an open pitch and it's not quite the same. If you were to play these games in a stadium where you can play English style ... at Wembley it becomes a different style to what you play on a Saturday.

"England have got great players, it's about getting the best out of players," he said. "It's the same for everybody."

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Source: REUTERS
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