Redknapp talks up older candidates

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp believes experience should be a key factor in the decision over who becomes the next England manager.

Redknapp has been heavily linked with the job following Fabio Capello’s resignation last month over the FA’s decision to axe John Terry as captain, , just four months prior to Euro 2012.

The 65-year-old has now insisted the next Three Lions boss not only should be older, but should also be English in nationality.

“I suppose there’s not a million candidates, you know, Roy Hodgson and Sam Allardyce and whoever,” Redknapp said.

“And there’s some young managers like Nigel Adkins and people like that, who in the future, I’m sure, would be fantastic, but, at the moment, probably too young.”

“It is an older man’s job, I think. It’s not a job for a young guy.”

“I said all along I think it needs an English manager. I think we need to give somebody a go. We’ve not achieved anything with foreign managers.”

“Capello did okay, for sure – a bad World Cup (in 2010) – but we haven’t really torn up any trees, so why not give it to somebody from here.”

Despite being widely tipped as the man for the job, the former Portsmouth coach once again insisted his focus was on ensuring Spurs secured Champions League football this season.

“It’s a great job, obviously, to be manager of your country,” he said.

“It’s difficult. At the moment, I’ve got a job to do at Tottenham and suddenly we’ve lost a couple of games.”

“I’ve got to really keep concentrating on my job at Tottenham, which I do 100 percent, and see what happens at the end of the year.”

“Tottenham is my only focus, really. I want to make sure we get Champions League football this year.”