Harry Redknapp: People Were Against Me At QPR

Harry Redknapp has told BBC's Football Focus he resigned suddenly as manager of QPR in February because he “no longer knew who was on my side”.

Redknapp cited crippling knee problems as the primary reasons for his decision to leave Rangers, who were second from bottom in the Premier League table.

But he has now revealed that was not the only issue.

In an interview that will air in full on Saturday, the 68-year-old said the club had descended into a “soap opera”.

“I always thought I had everyone pulling with me and suddenly I felt some were and some weren't,” he said. “Behind the scenes, I always thought there were one or two people with their own agendas.”

In a wide-ranging interview at his home in Poole, Redknapp says:

He thought he was a certainty for the England job
England are good enough to win Euro 2016
Harry Kane is in the perfect place to develop
The pain and responsibility of losing was huge Redknapp is undergoing rehabilitation on his knees and can now walk and stand without pain.

But the former Tottenham and Portsmouth manager admitted to being “worn down” by incessant rumours around his position as manager at Loftus Road.

He said: “There was talk about Tim Sherwood coming in. QPR was in the paper every day. I've been at lots of other clubs, big clubs as well where you didn't get that.

“That got on my nerves. That was the big problem for me.

“As soon as we lost a few games, it would begin. I always thought there was someone mischievous causing it. I'd never had that before at any club I'd been at.

“I didn't see the teams below us getting the same sort of headlines every other week. It wore me down a little bit.”

Academy coach Chris Ramsey took over as boss in February and the Hoops are now two points off safety in the table.

I would have hated England's 'office job'
Redknapp was overlooked for the England manager's job when Fabio Capello quit in February 2012. Roy Hodgson was then appointed boss by the Football Association in May that year.

“I thought it was a certainty in all honesty,” said Redknapp. “I'd be a liar if I sat here and said anything else. Even Roy thought I was a certainty. But it didn't happen and that's life and I didn't lose any sleep over it. He's a top-class manager without a doubt.”

Redknapp added: “I think maybe Roy was more suited to the job than I was. Maybe he was more suited in going to St George's Park and spending more time with the FA. I always think he is perhaps more organised than me in that respect.

“I thought he would spend more time in the office than I would. I'd have hated that, going up to Soho or wherever the offices are. Going to St George's Park wasn't for me. I could have managed England, but I couldn't sit in an office and say I'd win a tournament.”

'England can win Euro 2016′
“I like Roy. He's a good man, a good manager, with fantastic young players. We've got to produce in that tournament, so let's go and win the Euros. Why can't we?

“We've got players better than most of the other nations… the Dutch, the Italians, French, although Germany are a big threat.”

Harry on Harry – 'Kane's no Billy Big Time'
“He has stepped up this year to a different level,” said Redknapp. “He's not a kid who's going to get carried away.

“He's not a 'Billy Big Time'. He'll get on with it, he'll keep practising, keep working at his game and keep improving. He's level headed and is the type of kid you love to see be successful.

“He's well looked after and in good hands. I like the manager at Tottenham, Mauricio Pochettino. He's a good manager and a lovely guy.”

Deadline day – 'I didn't drive the chairman mad'
Redknapp insisted he had not fallen out with chairman Tony Fernandes because of the club's lack of business in the January transfer window.

QPR missed out on Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor on deadline day, but Redknapp claimed it was himself who pulled out of the deal.

“I was trying to sign him, but it all got too expensive,” he said. “It wasn't going to work out, so we didn't really chase anybody.

“I didn't drive Tony mad to make a signing. He was trying harder than I was in the end. I just thought we needed another striker.”

The pain of losing
“I didn't want to go outside,” said Redknapp. “I just didn't want to be with anybody, I just really wanted to shut myself off. It's a silly feeling.

“I know it's only a football match, but you feel responsible. It's different when you're a player.

“As manager, you feel responsible for all the fans going to work, their weekend, their team losing. It's all on your shoulders.

It's difficult at times.”
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