Redknapp wary of dual role

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp said yesterday he was “flattered” to be the odds-on favourite to replace Fabio Capello as England manager but was cautious about combining the job with his club role.

The FA have indicated they could opt for a ‘caretaker’ manager to steer the side at the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine in four months’ time following Capello’s shock resignation on Wednesday – just hours after Redknapp was cleared of tax evasion charges.

A host of other Premier League managers have backed Redknapp for the England role, with the 64-year-old, whose Tottenham team are third in the top-flight, the outstanding English candidate to replace Capello.

“It is flattering, other managers have come out and said nice things and I appreciate everybody’s support really,” said Redknapp at Tottenham’s training ground yesterday.

However, as for being in charge of both Spurs and England, Redknapp said: “It is hard enough managing a league club let alone managing your country, it’s two very difficult jobs.

“I think your focus has got to be on one job, you can’t be going home thinking, ‘Who’s playing well in this situation?’

“I can’t take my eye off the ball at Tottenham at the moment because we’re looking to get Champions League football and I owe it to them to continue to keep completely focused on the job I’m doing here.

“It wouldn’t be fair to anybody here if I started to let my thoughts wander elsewhere but if the opportunity comes, and I get asked to coach England, I will have to consider it.”

Capello resigned after the FA stripped John Terry of the England captaincy without consulting the Italian manager as the Chelsea defender prepares to contest a charge of racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand at a trial which will take place in July – after Euro 2012.

Just hours earlier Redknapp had emerged from a London court having been found not guilty of tax evasion charges and the former West Ham and Portsmouth boss said the last few weeks had been a draining experience.

“It’s knocked me for six. I haven’t felt so good the last couple of days but I feel better today,” Redknapp said.

“My appetite for the Spurs job has never waned, things were going well in the football but things were hanging over me which were always a problem for me, but thankfully it’s gone now and we can move on.”

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said Redknapp was the best man for the England job but warned against combining two jobs, having been in charge of both Aberdeen and Scotland at the 1986 World Cup following the death of Scotland boss Jock Stein.

“I tried it myself with Scotland (at the World Cup) in Mexico. I found it very difficult,” Ferguson said.

In the short-term, former England defender Stuart Pearce, the current Under-21 coach, will take charge of England for their friendly against the Netherlands at Wembley on February 29.

After that, all scenarios are under consideration, suggesting it would be possible for Redknapp to lead England at Euro 2012 before making way for another manager if he chose to stay at Tottenham.