FOOTBALLER

Before he became a famous manager, Harry Redknapp was a football player. He was first spotted when he was just 11 years old, and grew up in the Tottenham youth ranks playing at Cheshunt. He also represented the England U-18 team internationally, winning the 1964 UEFA Youth Tournament.

He stayed with Tottenham Hotspur until he was 15 when he moved to West Ham United, followed by AFC Bournemouth, In 1976, Harry joined the North American Soccer League club Seattle Sounders, making 15 appearances during the season.

He retired as a player in 1982, before joining the world of football management in 1983.

MANAGER

Harry’s first job as a coach was at the Seattle Sounders, whilst he was playing for them. But his first major coaching role came in 1982 when he became assistant manager for AFC Bournemouth. He would go on to be assistant manager at West Ham before becoming their main manager. Harry then moved to Portsmouth in 2001, becoming Director of Football, before briefly moving to Southampton in 2004, returning to Portsmouth not long after. He guided the team to promotion to the Premier League, and helped the club win the 2008 FA Cup.

His successes at Portsmouth saw him take over the management position of Tottenham Hotspur, seeing them qualify for the Champions League for the first time since the 1960s. He moved to QPR in 2012, earning a promotion back to the Premier League. In 2016, Harry was appointed the manager of the Jordan national team, before moving to Birmingham City in 2017.

Harry announced his managerial retirement in 2017 after 34 years in the job, but in 2023, he revealed he would be interested in returning to club management.

MEDIA

Since retiring from the world of football, Harry has become a popular face on our television screens.

He has worked as a pundit on Match of the Day (1993-2015), Soccer AM (1999-2019), and Football Focus (2003-22), and has reported on the EFL Cup, Premier League, Euro, and FA Cup.

He has also appeared on entertainment shows including I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here (2018) – which he won, Celebrity Gogglebox (2020), This Morning (2018-21), DNA Journey (2021), The Jonathan Ross Show (2013-22), Loose Women (2022-24), Love Your Weekend With Alan Titchmarsh (2021-24), and Soccer Aid (2008-24).

He has become a prominent writer, working as Betfair’s Euro 2012 columnist, and as a frequent columnist for The Guardian. He has also published four books:

– Harry Redknapp: My Autobiography (1998)

– Always Managing: My Autobiography (2013)

– A Man Walks On To a Pitch (2014)

– It Shouldn’t happen to a Manager (2016)

In 2020, Harry started his podcast entitled The Harry Redknapp Show. Since then, guests have included Piers Morgan, Sir Rod Stewart, Mark Wright, Mo Gilligan, Jamie Redknapp, Romesh Ranganathan, Frankie Dettori, Dan Walker, Sir AP McCoy, Marvin Humes, and David James.

CHARITY

Harry – and his wife Sandra – are prominent charity supporters, patrons, and ambassadors, and have worked with a wide range of good causes, such as:

– Julia’s House, a children’s hospice

– The Dorset Cancer Care Foundation

– The Dorset Children’s Foundation

– Autism Unlimited

– Round Table Children’s Wish

– Lewis Manning Hospice

– Hope Housing Training and Support Ltd

– Leukaemia Busters

– The Waterman Caravan Foundation

– The Prince’s Trust

– The Dream Factory, a wish-granting charity for young adults with life limiting conditions

– The Kiyan Prince Foundation

– Diverse Abilities

– Animals’ Voice

– Wessex Cancer Trust

– Flicka Foundation Donkey Sanctuary

– The Tom Bowdidge Youth Cancer Foundation

SPEAKER

Harry Redknapp is a legend withing English football, and provides the most gripping after-dinner speeches. His speaking topics include:

– Football as a player

– Football as a manager

– Motivation

– Teamwork

– Achieving goals

– Charity work

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book Harry Redknapp for your next live event or corporate video.

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