SAINTS DAYS: Harry Redknapp pictured with former Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe.

HARRY Redknapp has forged a reputation as one of the best English managers of his generation.

Since Steve McClaren's sacking, Mr Redknapp's name has been linked with the vacant England job, and only three days ago former national boss Glenn Hoddle, an ex-Saints manager, said the 60-year-old was his preferred choice.

Mr Redknapp himself was in no doubt about what his decision would be if offered the national job, saying: "If the FA comes knocking on anyone's door how could you reject the chance?"

However, the knock yesterday came not from the FA blazers but the boys in blue, and Redknapp's England dreams look in tatters.

Manager The father of former Liverpool, Saints and England player Jamie, and uncle of current Chelsea star Frank Lampard, Redknapp is part of an east London footballing dynasty.

Born in Poplar in 1947, he signed as a professional with West Ham United in 1965, going on to make 149 appearances, with seven goals to his name, before moving to Bournemouth.

After a spell in charge of the south coast club, Mr Redknapp returned to West Ham as assistant manager in the early 1990s.

In 1994, he became the London club's manager, and helped take some of England's brightest young talents - including Joe Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard and Michael Carrick - from the youth academy to full first-team football.

It was during his time at West Ham that Mr Redknapp first worked alongside Peter Storrie.

Redknapp left the club in 2001 after a row over transfer funds, and joined Portsmouth, leading them to the Division One championship in 2002-3 - his first full season in charge.

In November 2004 he left Pompey after falling out with club owner Milan Mandaric, and just days later was installed at the helm of Saints by then chairman Rupert Lowe.

One day short of a year later, Mr Redknapp returned to Portsmouth after walking out on Southampton, saying he had made a "monumental mistake'' leaving in the first place. He had presided over Saints' relegation out of the Premiership in May 2005. It was the first time the club had been out of football's top flight since 1978.

During his second spell at Pompey, Mr Redknapp - who has always been known as a slick operator in the transfer market - secured a number of shrewd signings, and for a while last season Portsmouth topped the Premier League.

Just a month ago, Mr Redknapp signed a new contract with Portsmouth to keep him at the club until 2011, but after yesterday's events his future could well be in doubt.

10:23am Thursday 29th November 2007

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