One of English football’s most
charismatic figures is heading back to the Premier League after Harry Redknapp
steered his Queens Park Rangers side to an unlikely win in an absorbing
promotion playoff on Saturday. QPR secured a return to the top flight when,
despite playing with 10 men for the last 30 minutes after Gary O’Neil was sent
off, they beat a superior Derby County team 1-0 at Wembley with a last-minute
goal from veteran striker Bobby Zamora. Asked if he could see his side winning
late on, Redknapp told talkSPORT: “No way. We were bang under the cosh. “They
had the extra man and we looked like we were tired. We were desperate and then
we go and get a fantastic goal. What a finish.” Redknapp felt midfielder O’Neil
might have been shown a yellow card for his challenge on forward Johnny Russell
and said the sending off had left Rangers defending for their lives. “I thought
he wasn’t the last man, there was another defender behind him,” Redknapp told
the BBC. “I thought he would get a yellow but that’s life. “We were bang in
trouble but we showed great character and it was amazing. That was a one-off
where you stand on the touchline, hanging on for grim death and get a goal like
that. “I wanted to do it for the people here (at Wembley), the owners and the
players. They are fantastic people.” Chairman Tony Fernandes said that despite
the red card he was still confident they would win, adding “I’m the most
relieved and happiest man (at Wembley). We’re back in the Premier League thanks
to Bobby and all the boys. ” SETTLING SCORES Redknapp played down speculation
that, despite securing QPR’s return to the elite after one season in the
Championship, he might not be manager at the west London club next season. If
he is in charge Redknapp will have a few scores to settle when he returns to
several Premier League clubs he has managed, chief among them Tottenham Hotspur
who sacked him in 2012. The 67-year-old may also be able to banish the memories
of losing out on the job of England coach to Roy Hodgson. “I’m looking forward
to next season, but I’m looking forward to having a break and then having a
good look at it and see where we go,” Redknapp told reporters at Wembley. “I
haven’t even though about what next year brings.” Redknapp established himself
as one of England’s best coaches at a time when Premier League clubs were
turning increasingly to foreign managers. As well as Spurs and QPR, he has
managed Bournemouth, West Ham United and fierce local rivals Southampton and
Portsmouth, whose fans have never forgiven him for switching his allegiance
between the clubs in the two south-coast port cities. Redknapp was sacked by
Tottenham at the end of the 2011-12 season, despite steering them to the
Champions League quarterfinals in the previous campaign. Some supporters
believed he had become distracted by speculation about the England job.
Redknapp’s frustration at not getting the national team post still rankles and
in his autobiography he said he “wouldn’t trust the FA to show me a good
manager if their lives depended on it.” He will now hope to prove himself at
the top again
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