HARRY SINGING THE BLUES
But he reckons the task would even beat Fergie
HARRY REDKNAPP says even the great Sir Alex Ferguson wouldn’t sort out Birmingham in three games.
The 70-year-old former Tottenham and West Ham boss has taken the reins at the relegation-threatened Championship club.
Redknapp should have been managing a jockeys’ football side for the Injured Jockeys Fund match at Cheltenham.
Instead he’ll be trying to steer Brum away from relegation in Sunday’s Midlands derby against Aston Villa with the club just three points clear of the drop zone.
Redknapp said: “You could put Fergie in the same position and he’s not going to suddenly come in and make these players play like Manchester United.
“Players don’t need telling they are rubbish – they need to be given some sort of confidence.
Mad
“My philosophy is players will respond more to a pat on the back than being slated.
“It’s confidence that you need. Sometimes you just have to run around a bit more as a player.
“There’s nothing clever about that. If you stand around then it’s no good to anyone.”
Redknapp admitted that he’s still in love with the game and jumped at the chance to try to pull off another escape act.
He said: “I could easily have said goodbye to it all but I love it. I’m just a mad football fan.
“The lows of losing against Aston Villa on Sunday will be horrendous but if we win I will be singing in the car all the way home.
“That’s the way it is. You go home after losing and it kills you. But if you stop caring then it’s time to get out.”
Redknapp added: “I had promised to manage a side for Tony McCoy for the jockeys’ fund which is a great charity, but I can’t do that now.
“I was a bit worried about that because I didn’t know any of the players – a bit like here really!
“I was worried how I was going to find a centrehalf amongst the jockeys with them all being so small. Now I’ve got a slightly bigger problem.”