Why 'arry is the right man for the job

Twenty Four hours ago Harry Redknapp was climbing up the walls awaiting the Jury’s verdict on his drawn-out tax evasion court case, and Fabio Capello was sat on his £6 million-a-year contract sulking over the FA’s decision to debunk John Terry as captain. How things have changed...

One long, very eventful day later and both the for mentioned individuals scenarios have altered dramatically, with Harry Redknapp going from facing a prison sentence to facing a similarly severe punishment of the England job, whilst Fabio Capello finds himself significantly down on his annual income having resigned as England’s main man. 

Inbetween rushing to the betting shops to flutter away their pounds, football fans nationwide have been expressing their desire to have Redknapp as their next England manager, to the extent to which many betting shops have stopped taking bets on the Spurs manager to succeed the Italian, but why the man hunt for ‘Arry?

His managerial record is far from squeaky clean - much like his private life - firstly experiencing Relegation with Bournemouth, before jumping ship (a recurring feature of his management) to take up the helm at West Ham United, where he enjoyed sustained success including nurturing now internationals Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand. 

Redknapp’s exits from clubs have never been harmonious, leaving West Ham after a ‘slack tongued’ interview with a magazine, before leaving Portsmouth (for the first time) after a row with the then owner Milan Mandaric. A brief spell at bitter rivals Southampton also resulted in confrontation with an owner, resulting in yet another resignation. See the trend?

Winning the FA Cup with Portsmouth is by far his biggest achievement in management, and glossed over the copious misdemeanour’s paving the way for his move to Tottenham Hotspur. 

Throughout his entire managerial career he has never enjoyed a win percentage of over 50%, and his ‘miracles’ at White Hart Lane have been aided by the substantial financial aid, something guaranteed to provide success in a Premier League driven more by finances than ever before. 

Redknapp’s record is patchy, and becoming manager of a national team is a step-up far greater than his stepping up into the dock, and with no transfer window to make a last ditch transfer, Redknapp could well be found lacking. 

His name being bandied about in the rumour meal is not ludicrous, nor is it unrealistic, but stepping away from all the patriotism surrounding the appointment of England manager, continental may be the way to go - again.

Guus Hiddink is the hologram of what Redknapp can become: a successful club manager come national team genius. The Russian revolutionised South Korea’s, Australia’s and Russia’s ambitions coming into tournaments, far exceeding previous expectations leading each of the previous into a era of contention and global recognition. Hiddink’s CV far outshines that of Redknapp’s, not only in terms of discipline, but in terms of silverware, delivering wherever he goes. 

Above all, why would Tottenham’s manager want to leave White Hart Lane? The Londoner can do no wrong and looks set to land Spurs a Champions League place for the second time in three years, a qualification he will want to guarantee before gallivanting off to Wembley. 

There are many decisions to make for the FA in the coming weeks, but they would be naive to listen to all the hype surrounding the suggested appointment of Harry Redknapp when hidden gems such as Hiddink lie just beneath the surface. 

Alex O’Loughlin  @AlexOLoughlin18

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