Harry Redknapp: The next England manager should be younger – but helped by an older head like me
I would love the opportunity to manage England and will never rule myself out but I am not a fool.
I know the people at the FA who choose managers and I probably don’t fit their criteria because the game now is being run by academics. They don’t know what it takes to produce consistent performances in the Premier League because they aren’t football people. I probably won’t get much of a mention. Steve Bruce and Sam Allardyce find themselves in the same boat.
I have managed more Premier League games than anyone else apart from Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger but I won’t be holding my breath for a phone call. Maybe my opinion won’t be the one they want to hear.
I would tell them there are plenty of young, talented English guys out there who want the opportunity and they should give one of them the chance.
But you can’t expose a young manager to one of the most pressurised jobs in world football on their own. Put an older head in there to give them guidance and take some of the heat off. I’d love to do it. The chances of it happening are very slim, I know that.
It would be a different ball game if I was at a Premier League club now. I would love to have the opportunity to work with a young manager, if they want to bring one in. I could be around to provide some knowledge, experience with a bit of personality.
Everyone needs someone to talk to — managing at the highest level is a lonely job. Young managers need someone to sit down with after a game who you can be honest with and turn to for help. I did something similar on a smaller scale at Derby and enjoyed it. There isn’t enough of that in the game.
People talk about Eddie Howe. I love him as a manager but to stick him in on his own now would be a massive mistake. If it doesn’t go well for him, his career is in ruins straight away.
I like Gareth Southgate but is he ready for it on his own? Jurgen Klinsmann’s been mentioned. Where did that come from? I spoke to some Americans who think he needs to be replaced. Now we are talking about making a German manager of England.
Rio Ferdinand has a good football brain, as do Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard — the FA need to keep them involved somehow. Calling them for an opinion every time a manager leaves is not enough.
People said I was a serious contender in 2012 and I would have loved to have had the job but I don’t have anything against Roy Hodgson (left) at all. He got it and I always wished him the best. I’m not vindictive, I don’t hold grudges. I had a good job managing Tottenham and at the time it wasn’t the end of the world for me.
"I’m a different personality so whatever I did would have been a change. Would my way work? It couldn’t have been any worse."
Harry on Hodgson
If I had been given the opportunity, I’m a different personality to Roy so whatever I did would have been a change. I would have been different with the players. I’m not saying my way is right but maybe I am a more outgoing person than him, more in amongst the players. Would my way work? Well, it couldn’t have been any worse — we didn’t win a game at the World Cup and have gone out with a whimper in the Euros.
"I would have persevered with Ross Barkley and even thrown him on against Iceland at half-time . . . instead, Roy brought on Jack Wilshere, who had been terrible."
Harry on the midfield
I would have picked different teams to start with. I would have persevered with Ross Barkley and even thrown him on against Iceland the other night.
At half-time, I’d say to him: “Okay, I didn’t start you but now’s your chance. Come out here, change this game for us. We need to show what you can do — you are different class. Run the game, cement your place in the team and take us into the quarter-final.” Hopefully Barkley would feel 10ft tall.
Instead, Roy brought on Jack Wilshere, who had been taken off in the game before after a terrible performance.
I would have chucked Marcus Rashford on earlier. Andros Townsend would have been out there to give us pace and width when things were going wrong. I wouldn’t have started Raheem Sterling because he had a nightmare tournament to that point. Nobody else in England would have started Sterling against Iceland. I can’t say what I’m suggesting would have been successful because you never know — Roy did what he felt was right. He isn’t the first manager to see it not come off and he won’t be the last.
It has not been great under Roy but the same problems existed long before him. We have no identity as a team. Nobody knows how England play. We change systems all the time and there is no clear plan. Italy play three at the back in a well-drilled system. With England, you never know from one day to the next and too many aren’t playing in their right positions.
"I would have chucked Marcus Rashford on earlier. Andros Townsend would have been out there for me to give us some pace and width."
Harry on the strikers
The last time anyone talked to me with a clear vision of how we should play was Glenn Hoddle. He said to me: “I want to play with a sweeper, who comes out from the back, overloads the midfield when we have possession and attack from there.” Of course results went against him but at least there was an identity about England.
"We have no identity as a team. Nobody knows how England play. We change systems all the time and there is no clear plan."
On the main problem
Since then, we chop and change systems and just don’t know how we play. I have spent my life around football people. I haven’t seen what I would call a truly great coach. Ron Greenwood was the best I saw. Terry Venables was an excellent coach but also a good manager. I have seen great managers.
You don’t coach the England team. Yes, you organise them and develop a system but you are not coaching them in the real sense of the word. The main job is to breed confidence in them to produce for their country as they do every week for their clubs. If you do that, brighten it up, change the atmosphere a bit, maybe it would be different.
ArticleRedknapp: Why the FA must give the England job to a young managerEngland Football TeamHarry RedknappFANext England manager: FA should ‘give the job to a young manager with help from an older head like me’, says Harry Redknapp
Euro 2016: England vs Iceland In Pictures
Euro 2016: England vs Iceland In Pictures
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Joe Hart looks on as the ball slips under his arm and into the net to make it England 1 Iceland 2.
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Roy Hodgson reacts during England's defeat to Iceland.
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Jack Wilshere's face says it all.
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Ragnar Sigurdsson in dreamland after putting Iceland ahead.
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Harry Kane looks for a way through.
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Set-pieces were a battle for both sides.
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Eric Dier under pressure.
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Hannes Halldorsson saves from Harry Kane.
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Joe Hart reacts after another error...
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Chris Smalling is dejected after Iceland take the lead.
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Joy for Iceland moments after Rooney's opener.
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Ragnar Sigurdsson levels quickly for Iceland.
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Dele Alli under pressure from Iceland.
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Rooney scores his first goal at Euro 2016.
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Wayne Rooney hands England an early lead.
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Kyle Walker tracks Birkir Bjarnason.
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Raheem Sterling is fouled for an early penalty.
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A young England fan looks confident before the game in Nice.
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Roy Hodgson looks on ahead of the match.
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A nation expects...
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Iceland fans in fine voice for a massive game.
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Pressure - what pressure? Iceland players enjoying the sun before kick-off.
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One Iceland fan is ready in the warm weather.
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More Iceland fans enjoying the sun.
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Will any of these end up in Joe Hart's net?
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