With the European Championship only four months away,
Redknapp is the leading contender to replace Fabio Capello as England coach.
But with no certainty that Redknapp can be lured from Tottenham, English
Football Association executives met Friday to form a shortlist of candidates.
Key members of the England squad have quickly swung into
line with the national mood by publicly endorsing the 64-year-old Redknapp, who
has led Tottenham into third place in the Premier League.
And Redknapp has the skills FA chairman David Bernstein
requires of his new coach: strong motivational qualities, experience handling
star players and an ability to produce exciting football.
The groundswell of public support for Redknapp gathered
after Capello quit on Wednesday following a disagreement with the FA over John
Terry being stripped of the captaincy.
"It's nice if people put me in a position where they
think I've got a chance of getting the job," Redknapp said Friday.
"It is flattering. Other managers have come out and said nice things and I
appreciate everybody's support really." It has been a whirlwind week for
Redknapp. Facing a potential jail sentence on Wednesday morning, by the evening
he had been cleared of tax fraud and installed as the favorite to replace
Capello.
But leaving Tottenham would be difficult, with the team seven
points behind leader Manchester City and another season still to run on his
contract.
"I can't take my eye off the ball at Tottenham at the
moment because we're looking to get Champions League football, we're still in
the FA Cup and I owe it to them to continue to keep completely focused on the
job I'm doing here," Redknapp said. "It wouldn't be fair to anybody
here if I started to let my thoughts wander elsewhere." England Under-21
coach Stuart Pearce will take charge of England's friendly against the Netherlands
on Feb. 29. The FA said another interim coach could be in place for Euro 2012.
But Redknapp said the job is too big to be done by a
part-timer.
"It is hard enough managing a league club let alone
managing your country. It's two very difficult jobs," he said. "I
think your focus has got to be on one job." Redknapp also has his health
to think about, having undergone heart surgery in November during his legal
fight.
"My family has gone from one storm to another, but I
prefer this storm (about the England job)," Redknapp's son, former England
international Jamie Redknapp, wrote in Friday's editions of the Daily Mail.
"My dad has been ill worrying about his case. He has been anxious and
angry.
"Worrying about my mum, who is a gentle and soft
person. Worrying about what would happen to her if he ended up with a guilty
verdict. I don't want to sound selfish, but whatever my dad ends up doing, he
has to do what is best for him."
