Redknapp to manage Jordan and ‘advise’ Derby

Mark Holmes
Harry Redknapp: Fancies Boro job

Harry Redknapp: Fancies Boro job

Harry Redknapp has been confirmed as a “football advisor” at Derby County for the rest of the season – and will also manage the Jordan national team for two games.

Redknapp takes up his role with Derby with immediate effect and will be at their home game against East Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

He told the club’s official website: ”From the first conversation I had with the chairman it was clear he has exciting plans for the football club. I am delighted to be able to help out and am looking forward to working with Darren and his team.”

Derby have been stuttering in recent months, winning just three Championship games in 2016, but president and chief executive Sam Rush feels having Redknapp on board, with the experience he brings, could give the Rams the edge as they look to win promotion to the Premier League.

”As we move into the closing stages of the season, we feel that Harry’s know-how will be valuable to us. He brings a high level of awareness and understanding of the Championship promotion race,” said Rush.

Derby are fifth in the Championship, seven points off the pace in the race for automatic promotion but with a three-point advantage over Cardiff, who are just outside the play-off places in seventh.

Redknapp began in management at Bournemouth in 1983. He spent seven years at West Ham before joining Portsmouth, where he had two spells in charge, winning the FA Cup in 2008.

During his time at Tottenham, Redknapp was named the Premier League Manager of the Year for the 2009-10 season and guided Spurs to the Champions League quarter-finals two years later.

As manager of QPR he won promotion to the Premier League via the 2014 play-off final, beating Derby thanks to a last-gasp strike from Bobby Zamora.

Redknapp will also manage Jordan for their World Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh and Australia later this month, as a favour to Prince Ali bin al-Hussein.

“It’s going to be a tough couple of weeks, that’s for sure,” Redknapp told The Sun. “I’m friends with Prince Ali and wanted him to take over from Sepp Blatter. He asked me if I’d manage the team for a couple of matches, and I agreed.

“I’ll go to the Forest game and then go straight to London and fly to Jordan. It’s a busy time but I’ve missed the buzz of being involved in football.”