England job not on Redknapp´s mind

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has refused to fuel speculation over whether he is interested in succeeding Fabio Capello as England manager.

Capello’s expected to leave his post with the national side after next year’s European Championships in Poland and Ukraine.

But Redknapp insists he is concentrating on his role at White Hart Lane, where Tottenham are enjoying a fine season.

“I’m concentrating on what we’re doing here at Tottenham. Whatever happens with England happens, and if Fabio Capello decides to stay on then great, that wouldn’t be a problem with me,” Redknapp said.

“I don’t think they can make a decision if he’s not going to stay, it’s very difficult for them to choose another manager anyway if he’s already working, because suddenly the manager’s going to be leaving his club at the end of the year to go and take over England.”

“It would leave the club that he works for in a difficult position, it wouldn’t be fair to them.”

“Before we were seeing managers saying that they were going to quit at the end of the year and it’s their last season and normally their form dips through that, so I don’t think that would be a great situation either.”

Redknapp is expecting a tough challenge from Owen Coyle’s Bolton this weekend, particularly in the wake of the death of former Wanderer Gary Speed last week.

“I don’t know really (if Gary Speed’s death will influence the Bolton players),” Redknapp said.

“It’s difficult really, some of the lads would have played with him, people like Kevin Davies would have been there with Gary and a few of the other lads will have known him very well, so I’m sure it’s been a very difficult week for them as it has with everybody in football who knew him.”

“I’m sure once the game starts they’ll want to do well for Gary, for everybody, but it’s business as usual once the whistle goes.”

Bolton have struggled this season and are languishing in the relegation zone, but Redknapp refused to underestimate them.

“I still think they’re a tough side to play against, and you know, they’ve been a little unlucky this year, they’ve had a few injuries as well,” he said.

“But they’ve got an outstanding young manager, and they’ve got some good players, I think they showed that against Stoke just a couple of weeks back, nobody has an easy game against Stoke and they had a fantastic win against them.”

“So we know it will be tough; you never get an easy game against Bolton.”