Harry Redknapp offers to take Tottenham job after Newcastle battering

Harry Redknapp is open to returning to Tottenham and managing the club for the remainder of the season. Spurs suffered a humiliating defeat to Newcastle and Sunday and the 76-year-old would be prepared to help out by replacing Cristian Stellini for the last six games of the campaign.

Tottenham were humiliated at St James’ Park at the weekend. Stellini switched to playing a back four for the first time this season but it couldn’t have gone any worse.

Spurs were 5-0 down inside an incredible first 21 minutes. A brace each from Jacob Murphy and Alexander Isak and a goal from Joelinton put Eddie Howe’s side into dreamland.

Tottenham went into the game knowing defeat would damage their chances of finishing above Newcastle in the Premier League top four. Now their hopes of earning a Champions League qualification spot hang by a thread.

The defeat has led to calls for interim boss Stellini to be relieved of his duties before the end of the season. Redknapp, who was a popular manager at Spurs between 2008 and 2012, believes it is unlikely chairman Daniel Levy will give him a call.

But if he did, he admits he couldn’t turn down his old employers. Redknapp told talkSPORT on Monday morning: “Very, very unlikely that they’ll come knocking, I’ll be truthful. But if they did of course I would go back and take it.

“But I really don’t [think so], I’m not sitting by the phone waiting for a phone call that’s for sure. It’s disappointing to see how it turned out yesterday, it was a big disappointment.”

It isn’t the first time Redknapp has offered to take over at Spurs. He did so in March following the sacking of Antonio Conte.

Redknapp said at the time he would be willing to work alongside Spurs coach Ryan Mason to help the club through the remainder of the season. Mason, who was caretaker boss two years ago after the departure of Jose Mourinho, has been an assistant to Stellini in recent weeks after being a first-team coach for Conte.

Redknapp has been out of management since his spell in charge of Birmingham six years ago. He hasn’t managed a team in the top flight since resigning as boss of QPR in February 2015.

If Redknapp were to make a sensational return to the Spurs dugout, he would become the oldest manager in the history of the Premier League. Roy Hodgson at 75 currently holds that record following his return to Crystal Palace.

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