Harry Redknapp would ‘walk there tomorrow’ if he was offered the chance to manage Tottenham until the end of the season – but doesn’t expect to get a call from the club’s chairman Daniel Levy.
Spurs are on the hunt for a new boss having sacked Mauricio Pochettino on Tuesday evening after five-and-a-half years at the helm.
Redknapp, who was in charge of the north London club from 2008 to 2012, was asked on talkSPORT if he could see himself returning on a caretaker basis while Levy hunts for a permanent replacement for Pochettino.
He responded: “I’d walk there tomorrow but it’s not going to happen. I’m not an idiot, I’m a realist.
“If he [Daniel Levy] rung me and said come until the end of the season, of course I would. But I don’t see it happening.”
Tottenham’s first game without Pochettino will be against another of Redknapp’s former clubs, West Ham, on Saturday – with commentary of that game live on talkSPORT.
Jose Mourinho is the clear favourite to take on the job, and it is understood he has already been sounded out by the club.
“It’s a great time to walk in there as manager,” said Redknapp.
“They are as low as they can get at the moment and the only way is up. A little bit like when I took over, bottom of the league, there was only one way – up.
“Mourinho, I would think is on the list. When he [Levy] got rid of me he tried to get [Carlo] Ancelotti. He offered him the job at that time and I think he would be on the list too.
“People talk about Eddie Howe but I can’t see him going for Eddie.”
Pochettino had guided the club to the Champions League final last season but they are currently 14th in the Premier League after 12 games.
Redknapp sympathised with the Argentinian as was in a similar situation when he left the club.
He added: “I’ve been there. When I left it was the same thing. We finished fourth in the league. These things happen and with Daniel you never know.
“There’s obviously big problems. The relationship doesn’t seem quite the same and most importantly the team have been struggling. If you look at the results, apart from that Champions League run last year, since Christmas time would have put them very, very low down the division.
“I’m not saying he should have got the sack. I’ve been there myself and when I got the sack, finishing fourth and the Champions League quarter-finals, it happens at Tottenham.
Danny Mills says Jose Mourinho is the obvious candidate to become Tottenham’s new manager
“If they don’t get Champions League football next year it will be a disaster in Daniel’s mind and Joe Lewis’ mind. That’s how they see it.
“And they are probably looking at it and saying ‘hang on now we might not do it now’. They are not going to hang about. They are ruthless businessmen. If it doesn’t work then they are going to change it.
“Last season they got to the Champions League final but everything went their way. How they got out of the group stages you will never know. They relied on a result elsewhere to get through.
“They’ve had bad form for a while now. I love Pochettino. I’m a big fan of his. He a great guy and I have a great relationship with him but the results have been very poor. It’s not a massive shock to me.
“I know the people he’s dealing with. They’ve pumped millions into the club and they need Champions League football next year.”
Saturday is GameDay on talkSPORT as we bring you THREE live Premier League commentaries across our network, including West Ham vs Tottenham at 12:30
