Leeds United made a real mess of their managerial situation last season.
The Whites went all around the houses with Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia and eventually Sam Allardyce all taking charge of the team before they were relegated from the Premier League.
Leeds went back to basics in the end, hiring an old-school Premier League specialist in the shape of Allardyce, but there was another manager of the same ilk who was more than up for taking the job.
Speaking on Kammy and Ben’s Proper Football Podcast, Harry Redknapp has now spoken about his links to Leeds last season, and he says that he would’ve walked to Elland Road to take that job if he’d been offered it.
Redknapp wanted the Leeds job
The FA Cup winning gaffer spoke about his desire to manage Leeds.
“There were rumours last season that you were a bit interested in taking the Leeds job when Jesse Marsch left? Was there any truth in that?” Redknapp was asked.
“I would’ve walked there, I’ll be truthful, if someone would’ve asked me. My life is good, I’m happy, but I wouldn’t be able to say no, honestly, if someone came along and said ‘Harry will you come and manage us?’ I would’ve dived head first like always and thought about it afterwards. I was never in the running for that job anyway so,” Redknapp said.
What could’ve been
Leeds were, of course, relegated last season, but it came down to the fine margins.
Of course, a 76-year-old Harry Redknapp isn’t exactly going to revolutionise a football club these days, but he’s a good man-manager who has seen it all in the game.
Maybe, just maybe, Redknapp would’ve had what it took to keep Leeds up. After all, Roy Hodgson worked wonders at Crystal Palace last term, and you would’ve put him in the same category as Redknapp at the time.
One thing is for sure, Redknapp couldn’t have been much worse than Javi Gracia at the time.