JAMIE REDKNAPP has urged his dad: Stay at Saints and take them back up.

Harry Redknapp's St Mary's future is uncertain after the first top flight relegation of his career.

Jamie, however, believes his father's record makes him the ideal man to take charge next season.

And his words are the biggest indication yet that Harry, left inset, may be ready for the challenge of taking Saints out of the Championship.

He said: "I'm hoping dad will stay, he should stay. He's a good manager and if anybody can get them back up in the Premier League then it's him. The best thing would be to come back up and be a Premiership team for years to come."

He added: "He's got the ability to get Southampton back up. He's done it with Portsmouth - if he hadn't taken over they probably would be playing second division football by now. He did a great job getting them in the Premiership and I'm sure he can do the same with Southampton."

Whether Jamie will be able to play next season will depend on the outcome of a consultation in America with knee specialist Dr Richard Steadman, who made his name by performing successful operations on the likes of Alan Shearer, Ronaldo and Craig Bellamy. Redknapp added: "If he says 'unfortunately you're better off calling time on your career and thinking about the future', then obviously I will do that.

"You have to look after your long-term life, you want to be able to do normal things and walk around the golf course.

"I really do want to play on. I loved it at Southampton - especially the way we finished you think it's unfinished business. The fans have been incredible.

"When we found out we were relegated I was expecting no-one to be in the stadium because we felt we let them down.

"Everyone stayed and gave us a great ovation. I felt a bit embarrassed about that because we didn't deserve it. We were failures."