Happy Harry’s still so driven!
HARRY REDKNAPP was interested in the Sunderland job before the appointment last week of Chris Coleman.
The Black Cats insist the former Wales boss was their first choice to succeed Simon Grayson but Redknapp, 70, realised there would be a geographical problem if the job was offered to him.
The former Spurs chief (right) lives on the south coast at Sandbanks and loves to travel from there to work but that would have been a long commute to the
North East!
MAN-IN-THE-MASK Marvin Zeegelaar proved to be Toon’s tormentor-in-chief as they crashed to a fourth straight defeat.
Dutch left-back Zeegelaar, wearing facial protection after suffering a broken nose on his debut – courtesy of West Ham and ex-Newcastle striker Andy Carroll’s forearm – was instrumental in Watford’s first two goals.
The summer signing from Sporting Lisbon provided midfielder Will Hughes with a 19th-minute opener – his second goal in successive games in only his third league start since an £8million summer move from Derby County.
Newcastle right-back DeAndre Yedlin helped the Hornets’ cause when he diverted Zeegelaar’s cross into his own net in first-half stoppage time.
And striker Andre Gray put the seal on Watford’s fourth away win this season in the 62nd minute as they made light of the uncertainty raging over the future of boss Marco Silva, who is wanted by Everton.
Silva said: “It’s a really important win for us – a second win in a row and a second clean sheet in a row. I think we deserved it. “We deserved the three points. We had very good moments, we scored the first goal through something we planned. “The confidence in some moments was good, we knew they were strong in the long balls and first and second balls and I think we controlled really well. Marvin is doing very well – he only made his debut last week – but he has to keep working hard to keep his place in the team.’’
Silva was again reluctant to discuss his position and said: “I don’t want to talk about speculation. I’m just really happy that we performed and won again.
“That’s the most important thing for me.’’ Newcastle owner Mike Ashley appears to be playing the long game after rebuffing a near-£300m bid for the club from Amanda Staveley’s PCP Capital Partners.
But the short-term concern for boss Rafa Benitez is halting his side’s alarming slump, which has featured only one win in the last eight games.
Benitez insisted that only hard work will dig his side out of their rut and he said: “We have to realise we can lose games because we’re now playing at another level.
“It’s not just a question of the shape of the team or the formation, it’s a question of understanding that we’re a team that has to work very hard to get results.
“Everybody knew Watford were doing well and we needed to be strong and solid. We started well and then made a mistake for the first goal. We had to go forward and the reaction of the team was good but the second goal changed everything.
“We had to take more risks but we were wide open and conceded another goal and then it was difficult for us.
“We have to realise where we are, what we have and where we want to be. I’ve said before it is going to be a tough season and we have to work as hard as possible.”
Isaac Hayden’s suspension forced a change on Newcastle in midfield, where Mo Diame was drafted in as boss Benitez stuck with a 4-4-2 formation.
Jacob Murphy, making just a third league start for the home side following a summer switch from
Norwich that could rise to
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