THE VERDICT from Southwark crown court had been out only 27 minutes, and Harry Redknapp had yet to walk through the doors of this imposing building for the final time, when the bookmakers sent out their first press release.
“Harry for England? All bets are off” was its title. “Within seconds of being cleared the punters sent the bookies into meltdown.”
Betting had been suspended, albeit temporarily, by 12.02pm while, at the other end of the Jubilee line, another scrum of news crews was in position outside Wembley and bulbs were flashing in the face of the man who, by that point, had already decided that the soap opera of English football had worn him down.
The timing of Redknapp’s acquittal coming so shortly before Fabio Capello walked into David Bernstein’s office and announced that he wanted out could hardly have been entwined with greater symmetry. One walks free, one walks away.
Had the jury foreman uttered the word “guilty” Redknapp’s application for the England job would already have a large X written through it in red marker pen. Instead, he walked free, will be back at the Tottenham training ground in the morning and, almost certainly, can expect an invitation to Wembley to discuss taking over from Capello.
Being convicted as a tax cheat would have meant Redknapp was always remembered as the man who had the chance to manage his country and blew it. Now, however much Spurs might hate the idea, it feels like a question of when, rather than if, he is fitted out for the blazer.
It has not been an orthodox way for Redknapp to loom so prominently into the Capello story, but, then again, 2012 is not exactly turning out to be another routine year for the FA anyway.
Six weeks in, the story involves the England captain being deposed because he is going on trial for alleged racial abuse, the £6m-a-year manager quitting in protest and the manager-in-waiting trying to explain to a judge why a small fortune was stashed into an offshore account named after a bulldog called Rosie.
The question is what happens next and the answer, almost certainly, is that the man Tottenham’s supporters serenaded, in absentia, at Anfield on Monday with “he’ll pay what he wants” is Capello’s natural successor.
Now the trial is finished in his favour, overlooking him would possibly be the most contentious decision since Brian Clough missed out to Ron Greenwood in 1977.
Anyone who wants to argue the point need only consider that Spurs were grubbing around at the bottom of the league, with two points from their first eight games, when Redknapp took over in October 2008 and started putting in place the renaissance that now sees them third in the league.
The side Redknapp inherited was a dysfunctional mess lacking motivation and direction. The team we see now has been lauded by Alex Ferguson for playing the most attractive football in the country. The FA will be duty-bound to look at other contenders, of course, with the likes of Martin O’Neill, Alan Pardew and Guus Hiddink likely to be considered.
Redknapp has a more modest record, with only one major trophy in 29 years as a manager: the 2008 FA Cup with Portsmouth.
Even so, he is the obvious candidate. The England job needs someone who has the immediate respect of the players and can unite and invigorate a group that is threatening to be split apart by the kind of divisions and cliques. His appointment could have therapeutic qualities on a listless team.
Plus, the events at Southwark crown court have shown us something. When Redknapp emerged on the court it was to talk of the “nightmare” he had endured during the long criminal investigation. It was, he said, the most difficult experience of his professional life. The point is that there have been no signs of Spurs suffering, and clear evidence of a man who can cope under extreme pressure and times of crisis. Which can be useful as an England manager.
GuardianService
TIMELINE: A multimillion-pound investigation
2001
June 25th– Redknapp joins Portsmouth as director of football. His contract includes commission on net transfer profits of 10 per cent.
July 3rd– Redknapp signs Peter Crouch from QPR.
2002
March 18th– Redknapp agrees new deal to become Portsmouth manager, with reduced commission on transfer profits of 5 per cent.
March 27th– Crouch, signed by Redknapp nine months earlier for £1.25 million, joins Aston Villa for £4.5 million, a profit of £3.25 million, worth £115,473 at 5 per cent or £230,946 at 10 per cent.
April 22nd– Redknapp is paid a bonus through Portsmouth's payroll of £115,473. Tax and National Insurance are deducted at source via the PAYE system.
April 26th– Redknapp flies to Monaco to open Rosie47 account.
May 27th– Redknapp and Milan Mandaric sign backdated contract to include the 5 per cent clause dated to March 19th.
May 28th– Mandaric pays $145,000 into Rosie47 account.
2003
January 4th– Redknapp faxed David Cusdin, Monaco HSBC bank manager, requesting $100,000 (US) transfer to Mandaric's US account with First Star.
February– Details of a £300,000 bonus received by Redknapp from West Ham upon the sale of Rio Ferdinand appear in newspapers.
2004
January 15th– HMRC tax authorities write to Redknapp and his accountants to announce a civil investigation into Redknapp's payment for Ferdinand transfer.
April 29th– Rosie47 account receives payment of $150,000 from the Milan Mandaric Revocable Trust.
2006
October 19th– Tax authorities close investigation into Redknapp's tax affairs by signing certificate of full disclosure.
November 6th– Redknapp reveals details of the Rosie47 account to the Quest investigation into Premier League bungs.
November 20th– Accountant Nigel Layton, of Quest, writes to Redknapp requesting disclosure of all offshore and onshore accounts between 2004 and 2006.
November 24th– Mandaric signs letter to Mr Layton concerning $100,000 investment in Monaco account.
November 27th– Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie faxes Redknapp's solicitors the letter Mandaric sent to Quest.
2007
November 27th– Mandaric and Redknapp arrested.
2008
January 11th– Redknapp gives written instruction for the Rosie47 account closure and for funds to be moved to London HSBC account.
January 31st– Malcolm Webber, Redknapp's accountant, writes to HMRC declaring untaxed interest on Monaco account. He attaches £4,415 cheque from Redknapp.
February 11th– Rosie47 account closed. $207,000 credited to Redknapp's UK HSBC account.
October 15th– Redknapp's accountants write to HMRC "indicating possibility" that tax was not accounted for in respect of two payments – $145,000 in June 2002 and $150,000 in May 2004.
2009
February 26th– News of the Worldreporter Rob Beasley calls Mandaric on phone after receiving a tip-off about the police investigation.
February 28th– Mr Beasley calls Redknapp on the eve of his new club Spurs playing Manchester United.
May 6th– City of London Police obtain order to take tape recordings and notes made by Mr Beasley.
June– Redknapp and Mandaric both interviewed by police.
July 13th– Mandaric's solicitor emails Redknapp's lawyer to ask for repayment of $145,000.
October 4th– News of the World publishes revelations about the investigation.
October 5th– Police interview Redknapp again.
2010
January– Redknapp and Mandaric are charged with tax evasion.
2012
February 8th– Redknapp and Mandaric are cleared by a jury.
