Arise Sir Harry: should Redknapp be knighted?

Could a case be made for Harry Redknapp to be tapped on the shoulder by the Queen's sword?

After all, he has achieved more than most within English football during a career that has spanned over 40 years as player and manager.

Just take a look at his life at the helm ...

His reputation as a man that turns doom to glory began when he helped Bournemouth escape relegation to the bottom tier of the Football League in his first year in charge. Not content with that minor miracle, he also led his minnows to a shock third round FA Cup victory over mighty Manchester United. A period of consolidation followed before he took the Cherries up as champions of the Third Division.

Then take a look at his West Ham CV. He turned them from a yo-yo club in the early nineties to a top-flight fixture that even flirted with Europe in the Uefa Cup in 1999 after they finished fifth in the Premier League, above the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and Newcastle.

This wasn't achieved with a pot-load of cash, either. Redknapp relied upon his eye for a bargain and his belief in giving young hopefuls a chance. Ten years ago he declared that the West Ham youth team would eventually comprise the spine of the England side. Those teenagers included Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Michael Carrick. He wasn't far wrong, was he?

And now we get to Portsmouth. When he took over as manager in 2002, they were in danger of dropping out of the Championship under Graham Rix. A year later, they were promoted to the Premier League as champions. He comfortably kept them up against the odds the following year but left after a row with Milan Mandaric, the owner. What happened to the club then? They sank, that's what.

Velimir Zajec and Alain Perrin between them took the club to the depths of despair as relegation became inevitable. Until Redknapp returned to Fratton Park, that is, where he somehow rescued them from a Titanic-sized disaster. Ok, in the meantime he could not stop Southampton dropping into the Championship, but problems behind the scenes at St Mary's were blamed for this.

So now Pompey are going from strength to strength in the Premier League with a blend of youth, in the form of Glen Johnson and Jermain Defoe, and old stagers written off by bigger clubs and rejuvinated under the Redknapp magic, such as David James and Sol Campbell.

Last year he was in the running for the top job when Steve McClaren was sacked as England manager. Then Newcastle tried to lure him to St James' Park as Sam Allardyce's replacement.

Yesterday's FA Cup win topped off his career. But who has achieved more with so little? Is there anybody out there that would begrudge Redknapp the proper recognition he deserves for a lifetime of dedication to the game he loves and the pleasure he has given thousands around the world?

The question is simple: should Harry Redknapp be knighted? Vote now and leave your comments below.

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Frank Praverman

Comments

[Sicknote]

You would have to be pretty hard hearted not to feel pleased for Harry, but a Knighthood, seriously?

He has done a great job, but I think even the suggestion that he is deserving of a Knighthood shows how desperate we are for the smallest piece of English footballing success.

Also wouldn't Harry be embarrassed to accept a Knighthood for winning one FA Cup when the likes of Cloughy and Bill Nick didn't get anything for all their achievements.

Ludicrous

[Robert]

Is this a serious suggestion?! Knighthoods are there for services to the realm beyond the reasonable. Whilst they have already been cheapened by being tapped out seemingly to anyone that has been in the public eye for more than 5 minutes, I hardly think winning an FA Cup merits one of the highest civil accolades the country can bestow on an individual. An MBE/OBE maybe, but even then...

[Gavin A]

Get a knighthood for doing your job??? I have had a particularly productive first quarter this year..surely thats worth a CBE at least??

[P.Hooper]

halls of fame are made for these people ,Harry Rednapp should be there,not mixed up with cliff richard and mick jagger

who

[Joe]

You must be joking! What happened to Bournemouth after he left? financial difficulties because they had the highest wage bill in the division. Then we have the countless nobodies who turned up for West Ham and then promptly left after only a couple of games. Harry was certainly the agents' best friend! Not forgetting the £300k he wanted for sanctioning Rio Ferdinand's transfer to Leeds. I love the way you gloss over his time at Southampton. Saints were actually outside the relegation zone when Redknapp joined. And then we get back to Portsmouth. Not content with disrespecting Pompey fans first time around he then disrespects Saints fans by telling them his heart was never in it all along. And let's not forget the reported "mysterious" betting patterns the surrounded his return to Pompey.

Knight Redknapp? You must be joking.

[carl lindgreen]

What on earth for? Turning mediocrity into averageness? For getting a Premiership team to the FA Cup Final by playing Championship teams nearly the whole way (yeah, alright, He beat Utd..) It seems anyone English with a penchant for a title can get one nowadays (Arise Sir Mick Jagger!) but the people who really deserve them never get a mention, (now retired Prof. Sid Watkins, who did more for F1 safety than anyone, for eg.) I honestly think Harry would burst out laughing at this daft suggestion...