‘They know where I am’ – could Harry Redknapp return to manage Tottenham?

If he makes a dramatic return to the club, Redknapp, who was named as a contestant on ITV’s reality show ‘I’m a Celebrity… South Africa’ this week, would become by far the oldest manager to take charge of a Premier League club.

At 79 years and 12 days old, Redknapp is two-and-a-half years older than current record holder Roy Hodgson was when he left Crystal Palace in February 2024.

Redknapp is now 10th on the list of the Premier League’s oldest bosses, having left his last senior role at QPR in 2015, a month before his 68th birthday.

He won’t be the only big name to make a surprise return to management this season.

Former Leicester, Aston Villa, Sunderland and Nottingham Forest manager Martin O’Neill, 74, is currently in his second interim stint in charge of Celtic; Neil Warnock, 77, was recently appointed interim boss of National League South side Torquay United.

Speaking to Radio 5 Live, former Premier League goalkeeper Rob Green said Redknapp’s return to Spurs would be more “left field” than O’Neill’s appointment at Celtic Park.

“I think it’s further for Spurs, but it’s a kind of expertise in man management.” [they need]“He is a different manager than the managers we have now.

“Players need to have a charismatic leader who will come in and move up the rankings and definitely make them feel better.

“[Redknapp] A manager who knows the club well. He definitely has a talent for getting the best out of people on the field and people feeling good about themselves.

“But for now, I don’t see anyone in the country being out of the game for that long. [coming back into management].

Earlier this season, Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence were widely criticized for refusing to shake former manager Frank’s hand following their heavy home defeat against Chelsea; Former Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel said Redknapp would not approve of this.

“Can you imagine a player not shaking your hand after a match?” Friedel spoke to BBC’s Sportsworld. “This player will not be in the squad for the next match.

“When they sacked Thomas Frank, I was one of those who said they should have brought in someone like Harry, very similar to what Celtic did. [with O’Neill] after [sacking] Wilfried Nancy.

“Harry would come in and say all the right things.”