Harry Redknapp
Harry Redknapp Premiership manager, loved by the media
Harry Redknapp Profile
Footballer for West Ham and Bournemouth. Now manager of Portsmouth FC.
League career: Debut for West Ham (1963-72), Bournemouth (1972-76).
Other highlights: North American League’s Seattle Sounders (1976-80);
Manager of West Ham (1993-2001); Director of Football, Portsmouth (2001); Manager of Portsmouth (2002-04). Manager of Southampton (2004-2005) Manager of Portsmouth (2005-present).
Harry Redknapp Summary
As a youngster Harry was one of the most talented players around with all the top London clubs chasing his signature. However he signed for West Ham and helped them to win the FA Youth Cup, he also went onto play for England Youth and was in the team that won the Junior World Cup beating Spain 4-0 in the final.
1963 saw Harry make his full West Ham debut at home to Sunderland and in 1966 he scored his first goal for West Ham in a 4-1 away at Tottenham Hotspur. After an illustrious career he played his last game for West Ham on the 15th April 1972 and then signed for John Bond at Bournemouth for what was then a club record of £31,000.
Three years later Harry crossed ‘the pond' to try his luck in the North American League with Seattle Sounders, being joined by Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst. His time in America proved to be more difficult than expected and after four years Harry returned to the UK and took up the position of assistant manager to Bobby Moore at Oxford City.
In 1981 Harry was invited to take up a coaching position at third division Bournemouth, and in 1982 took over as manager, which was to be the start of a very successful ten years with the club.
Harry left Bournemouth in 1992 to join West Ham as assistant manager to best mate Billy Bonds and the following year (as with Bournemouth) Harry became manager. Harry's performance each season was an illustration of the true leadership qualities needed in premiership football.
After Sir Alex Ferguson, Harry was the longest serving premiership manager, until he left the club at the close of the 2001 season, whereupon he joined Portsmouth as Director of Football.
He became the team's manager in 2002 and they gained promotion into the premiership, all highly ironic as West Ham were on their way down to division one. After a tough season (2003/04), Harry managed to steer Portsmouth through and keep them in the premiership. However after receiving manager of the month for October 2004 Harry resigned from the club after differences with the chairman.
In December 2004 Harry went to fierce rivals, Southampton, as their manager. After a difficult season (2004/05) the team remained in the premiership. Their chairman who then appointed Sir Clive Woodwood as Harry’s “assistant” created further media frenzy. Harry then moved back to Portsmouth. In 2006 he tried to re-create the Portsmouth team success with a poor squad and finally towards the end of the season has a fantastic run which saves them from relegation Harry then is hailed as a Hero in Portsmouth with National papers hailing him as “Harry Houdini” Portsmouth having their best season for many years and Harry is treated as Royalty in the area. His house is now on the tourists map and coaches frequently park outside so people can see where one of “Portsmouth’s most influential” men of the 21st Century lives
The 2006-2007 season resulted in Portsmouth having their best season for a number of years and just missing out on Europe.
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