HARRY REDKNAPP has said it would be “unfair” to leave Tottenham Hotspur before the end of the season and will ask for that condition to be included when the Football Association make their first approaches about him replacing Fabio Capello as England manager.

Redknapp ruled out the possibility of taking the England role in a part-time capacity, describing it as “impossible”, though he does believe that a job-share could work in the short term.

That raises the possibility that the Tottenham manager could be open to the idea of taking the job in this summer’s European Championship in Poland and Ukraine before resuming his work at White Hart Lane.

“I think in the short term maybe it’s possible for a European Championship but in the long term it’s not possible to manage a club team and manage a national team,” said Redknapp.

“It’s so difficult. It’s a full-time job. It’s difficult enough managing in the Premier League without having to worry about managing the England team as well . . . Whoever they give the job to could do only the one job.

“Maybe for the Euros it is not such a problem but once they are finished and the new season starts in England, then the manager has to either be a Premier League manager, if he [already] manages in the Premier League, or the England manager. To do the two jobs would be impossible.”

Redknapp still is waiting to hear from the FA a week after the chairman, David Bernstein, began the process of finding Capello’s successor. “I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t the popular choice.”

The Tottenham manager told Abu Dhabi Sports: “I know I am. It’s been in every paper every day. But it’s not easy . . . I work with good people . . . So just to walk away now when we’re in such a good position wouldn’t be fair on Tottenham.”

He added: “I have to keep focusing on Tottenham . . . We have some fantastic games. It’s an important time for me with Tottenham.”

Guardian Service