Harry Redknapp is making headlines again, and not just for his horse running at Cheltenham. The 79-year-old football legend has been linked with a sensational return to Tottenham Hotspur as the club battles relegation under struggling boss Igor Tudor.
Redknapp's name carries serious weight in English football. The former West Ham and Portsmouth manager guided Spurs into the Champions League and built a reputation as one of the sharpest operators in the transfer market. His career spanned from playing for West Ham in 1965 to his last managerial stint with Birmingham City in 2017.
But would he really go back to North London? When asked at the Cheltenham Festival, Redknapp was honest but not exactly encouraging for desperate Spurs fans. "I've been asked a few times if I'd go back to Spurs and it's probably not going to happen, is it?" he said. "Would I go back? Of course I would, but I doubt very much it's going to happen."
Tottenham's Relegation Battle Looks Grim
Redknapp didn't sugarcoat Tottenham's situation. Tudor has lost all four opening fixtures, and the club faces a genuine fight to stay in the Premier League. "They've got it all on to stay up, it's going to be hard," Redknapp admitted.
He pointed out the difficult fixtures ahead and noted that rivals Nottingham Forest and West Ham are both playing well. For punters watching the relegation odds, Spurs' situation looks increasingly precarious with each passing week.
Right now though, Redknapp has other priorities. "My only concern at the minute is The Jukebox Man in the Gold Cup," he said. His horse is confirmed to run in Friday's Cheltenham Gold Cup with a genuine chance of success.
From £3m Spurs Contract to £13.4m Fortune
Redknapp's success on the touchline has certainly paid off financially. His final contract with Tottenham was reportedly worth close to £3 million annually. When he took over at QPR, that deal jumped to around £10 million.
Combined with various endorsements and media appearances since retirement, Celebrity Net Worth estimates Redknapp's current fortune at £13.4 million. Not bad for a lad who started playing for West Ham back in the 1960s.
Away from football, Redknapp has faced some frightening moments with his wife Sandra's health. The couple, married since 1968, went through a terrifying ordeal in 2018 when Sandra was rushed to hospital with sepsis. "It was very scary," Harry told the BBC. "Otherwise, she could have been in a lot of trouble. It really is a killer."
The pair met when they were just 17 at their local pub. Harry famously said during his I'm a Celebrity appearance: "Even when I'm out I ring her ten times a day. She's my life." He later launched a sepsis awareness campaign after Sandra's recovery.
In 2022, Harry also revealed fears for Sandra after she struggled to breathe following a Covid battle. "The symptoms weren't good, if I'm truthful," he told The Mirror. "You start to think about all kinds of sinister things."
For now, Tottenham will need to look elsewhere for their savior. Redknapp's heart might be willing, but a return to management at 79 seems unlikely. Instead, he'll be cheering on The Jukebox Man at Cheltenham while watching from afar as his former club fights for survival.
