Hurst surprised at Redknapp snub
Posted Tuesday, May 01, 2012 by ESPN
World Cup hero Sir Geoff Hurst has admitted his surprise that "outstanding candidate" Harry Redknapp seems unlikely to get the England job.
The Tottenham boss was swiftly installed as favourite to succeed Fabio Capello when the Italian stood down from the post, but it emerged last night [Sunday] that the Football Association had made an approach to West Brom counterpart Roy Hodgson as they look to appoint a successor ahead of this summer's Euro 2012 finals.
Hodgson was expected to be formally interviewed for the post today as the world of football assimilated a decision which took many by surprise.
Hurst told Press Association Sport: "I thought Harry was probably the outstanding candidate at the time because he has had success with Tottenham at a higher level.
"He's been involved in the Champions League and that's been good experience for him.
"Roy has managed in the Europa League and also at international level, which is also good experience, but what Harry has achieved at Spurs in the last three or four years as been quite remarkable, taking them from almost being relegated into the Champions League as the most attractive side in the country.
"He was the media favourite and the fans' favourite, so it was a bit of a surprise when the FA turned to Roy Hodgson.
"But Roy is a nice man, he has some good football qualifications and I wish him all the best in the job if he chooses to accept it."
Redknapp's cheerleaders have likened the FA's decision to the one they took in 1977 to instil Ron Greenwood rather than popular, but potentially controversial, choice Brian Clough.
Hurst, who as McDonald's Director of Football is urging people to vote in the 2012 FA Community Awards, admitted he could see parallels.
He said: "Yes, I certainly could. He [Redknapp] is the most popular choice at the moment, as Brian Clough was at the time.
"Brian Clough was even more of a shock because what he achieved with Derby and Nottingham Forest was absolutely unbelievable.
"By a million miles, he was the outstanding candidate and it was a big shock that he didn't get the job as England manager."
Should Hodgson take the job, Hurst believes he may head for Poland and Ukraine with less pressure on his shoulders than might have been the case.
He said: "In the short term, people will perhaps expect the manager to get the squad to be successful at Euro 2012, but there's going to be less pressure on himself and the players because of the closeness of the appointment to the Euros.
"This looks like a longer term commitment going forward to the World Cup in Brazil in 2014."
However, he does not believe Hodgson's appointment will have a negative impact on the overall aims in Poland and Ukraine this summer.
"Whether we had a manager or not, I still think we are capable of getting at least to the semi-finals," said Hurst.
"I don't see any reason why we can't get to that level and if we can, you never know what could happen.
"Roy has not been involved in the preparations to date and that's not ideal.
"When you have a manager in place quite a while before, the preparation is going to be very natural, as it was with us in 1966.
"But, in some respects, I see that as a positive. It might take the pressure off, certainly from the media and the fans, to be successful this year.
"That could be a good thing because expectation is huge on the manager and the players."
It is a sentiment echoed by England fans' spokesman Mark Perryman, although he does not believe the Three Lions have any chance of reaching the last four as Hurst has predicted.
That does not mean Perryman is against Hodgson's appointment.
Indeed, he thinks it is a good thing because the legend that has grown around Redknapp, including comparisons with the late Brian Clough, has irritated him somewhat.
"It is a ridiculous comparison," said Perryman.
"Harry Redknapp has been a manager for 30 years and won one FA Cup.
"Brian Clough won two European Cups and lots of other trophies besides.
"To link the two doesn't stand up at all. Clough was the greatest manager never to manage England. Harry is the populist choice, but so was Kevin Keegan and what an unmitigated disaster that turned out to be.
"Roy Hodgson will be a steady hand on the tiller.
"He took Fulham to the Europa League final, which was a magnificent achievement, and on the basis that the best three managers around just now, Marcelo Bielsa, Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho, wouldn't want the job, Hodgson is a good choice."
It is envisaged Hodgson will complete the Premier League season with West Brom before taking up his duties prior to the friendly in Norway on May 28.
Before that he is expected to name his 23-man Euro 2012 squad, possibly on May 10, the date stated by Stuart Pearce last week as the one set aside for that announcement.
Even with Hodgson sitting down to meet the men expected to be his new bosses, it is still hard to believe Redknapp is going to be overlooked given the widespread clamour for his services.
However, arriving at Tottenham's training ground this morning, Redknapp insisted he bore no grudge at the job going to someone else.
"I don't hold grudges, I don't feel like that," said Redknapp this morning.
"There's no problem. If Roy takes the job I wish him all the best. He's a great guy.
"I'm sure he'll be a big success.
"I still think England's got some great players, I really do.
"I think there's some fantastic players in this country, some young players coming through, some great experienced players.
"I'm looking forward to the European Championships, looking forward to watching it.
"Life couldn't be better, the sun's shining, my health is good, very lucky man."
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