Now I am no huge England fan, of course I feel disappointment when we exit a major tournament but England winning a major trophy is not something I'd prioritise. To be completely honest I'd rather United won the FA Cup or beat City and Liverpool a couple of times each than England won the Euros or the World Cup. I may just be saying that as I have never experienced the joy of a successful English side, and if we were to maybe reach the semis or the final of a major competition in my lifetime, then I would feel different. I do admit to having patriotic images of leading a crowd through the streets singing Vindaloo during the last World Cup, but overall, and particularly since the Germany embarrassment in 2010, my affectionate feelings towards the national side have been lacking to say the least.
Yet in spite of this, when I saw the news yesterday I felt a sense of joy, the man who's awful management in 2010 had led to the demise of my support for England had now gone, another of England's evil forces has been eliminated (although this time it is by his own hand). I respect Capello in a way for not backing down, sticking to his principles and it is certainly unfair to an extent that he was not involved at all in the decision making process which saw John Terry's captaincy taken away. But the man has proved that while he may have been a great club manager, as far as leading a national side goes, he is not what the FA bargained for by paying £6million a year, and his lack of sensitivity and understanding towards the Terry issue proves he is not what we want for England. Maybe Fabio was just angry that the decision was taken out of his hands, but at the end of the day he was saying a man who may very well be proved as a racist within weeks of the Euros finishing, should be allowed to skipper his country. As an Italian, Capello was never going rto understand the issue in full, nor would another foreign coach, and this is why the next man who braves the English football throne must be English. But unlike the vast majority of the country, I do not think it should be Harry Redknapp.
Well, as an England fan, I do want Redknapp to be the manager, he is by far and away the best English manager around, arguably one of the best manager's in the world at the moment and he has Spurs playing phenomenal football most weeks, and on the weeks they don't play as well they still seem to grind out results (such as at Anfield on Monday). He has not had to spend big to do this, all he needed was a 40 year old goalkeeper, a 30 year old relegated midfielder and an unreliable, wayward striker. If it weren't for City's billions or United's astonishing resilience in challenging at the top with a fairly average team, then Spurs would be Champions. They are certainly not out of the title race and would be even closer to the top had Jermaine Defoe not missed that chance and Ledley King had not given away that penalty a few weeks ago. It is extraordinary what Redknapp has done with Spurs and with various financial fair play rules coming in that could limit City's spending power, I would not be surprised to see Spurs as title favourites next season if Redknapp is still at the helm.
So I ask on this basis, why on earth would he leave? The England job is something that all English managers probably aspire to and it can be quite painful if they do not get it, Brian Clough remains the greatest manager England never had and Redknapp could certainly challenge for that crown if he does not take on the job. But Champions League football is all but assured for next season, and with that there will be a feeling of "don't stop us now" around Tottenham. Luka Modric and Gareth Bale are bound to be linked with moves away again, but where would they go? Modric flirted with Chelsea last summer, but I am sure he will feel satisfied as he watches the Roman empire crumble while he is playing for the best Spurs team in decades. Bale is more likely to be linked with a move abroad and although this may be tempting one day, I do not see him leaving Spurs while they are challenging in Europe and on the home front. Champions League football, another crack at the title, and a strong likelihood that their best players will stay and better ones will come in too, Redknapp simply should not leave the haven and safety of Tottenham and make his way down Wembley Way.
'Arry may just be successful for England, he may take us to a final, he may even win something and if this happens then he will have made the right decision. He will bring the team together, with Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand already tweeting their support for him (of course they may just want him away from Spurs before they climb above United in the table), but it does seem to that Redknapp is genuinely the man everyone wants. What if it doesn't work out though? Capello was sacked for speaking his mind and Harry isn't one to mince his words, if has has an opinion he will say it. Will he be given the same freedom in picking his backroom staff and his squads as Capello was? English managers have never seemed to have too much. As for his salary, that will almost certainly be less than Capello's, but he is already earning £4million a year at Spurs so the wage cut compared to Fabio will not doubt have to be less than the FA will have wanted. The other major problem would be possibly tarnishing the fantastic reputation Redknapp has built for himself. Southampton aside, he has been a success wherever he has been and if he became an England flop then it could ruin the image of a manager the whole country respects. His innocence in his tax evasion trial has only consolidated his popularity, and if the risk of being found guilty did not compromise his support, then not much will. One thing that will always hurt the reputation of great managers is the England job. Glenn Hoddle and Kevin Keegan are now bit part pundits on ESPN, Sven has recently been sacked from Championship club Leicester City, and Capello will now forever be remembered as a failure. But the most striking example of a great manager humbled by England is Steve McClaren. The man was a Treble winner as assistant to Fergie in 1999, he won the League Cup with Middlesbrough and took them to a UEFA Cup final, very similar to the achievements of Redknapp with Portsmouth. But since his ill-fated spell in charge of the national side, his previous achievements have been wiped out. He is (unfairly) a laughing stock in this country thanks to his title of the "Wally with a Brolly" and that tremendous Dutch accent on his arrival at FC Twente. Although he has been a success in Holland, failures with Wolfsburg and Nottingham Forest have damaged him further. Redknapp is a better manager than McClaren, but their achievements are similar and if 'Arry was to have the same failures as the latter, he would not be remembered as the man who won the FA Cup with Portsmouth and built one of the greatest Tottenham sides ever, but as another failed England manager.
I am not saying Harry will fail, and he is certainly more likely to succeed than anyone else and for this reason it is right that the FA chase him for the job for as long as they can. If he takes it, then it could be a great victory for both parties. Even Spurs could benefit, with Jose Mourinho on the brink of leaving the Bernabeu, Champions League football back in England with Tottenham would no doubt tempt him. But it is for the same reasons Redknapp should stay, he has a comfortable job with Spurs and his team are going to get a lot better before they get worse. His reputation is impeccable at the moment, and if he were to fend off the FA, although disappointing for the national side it may be, he will have earned further respect. Not many managers would turn down the job with their national side, for what could potentially be the last time it is on offer in their career. Staying at Tottenham would be a mark of respect to the board who have always backed him, particularly during his trial, and to the fans and players who adore him. It would be such a great morale boost for Spurs too and success would be ready for Harry to take with both hands. England may be a fascinating and rewarding challenge, but the turmoil that goes with the job and the potential blows to any manager's reputation, make it a much less desirable one to take.
So my message to the FA, please fight, please do all you can to get this man to take the job, he is at the moment, one of the only chances this country has of success. My message to Harry Redknapp? Say no. There is too much at stake by taking the job. At Spurs he has nothing to lose and everything to gain, at England he also will have everything to gain, but everything to lose too.
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