Beckham backs Redknapp to fill vacant England manager's job

Feb 17, 2012, 13:28 GMT

London - Former England captain David Beckham believes Harry Redknapp is the perfect man to take over the vacant job as England manager.

The 36-year-old Beckham said the Tottenham manager's man-management skills made him the obvious choice to replace Fabio Capello, who resigned earlier this month.

'Harry's a great man and a great manager,' said Beckham, who is still hoping to play for a combined Britain side in the Olympics this summer.

'His man-management is incredible. I know players who have played under him and I've trained under him. He's not just great manager but a great person. But right now he is the Spurs boss.'

Redknapp is the overwhelming bookmakers' favourite but said on Friday he had not been contacted by the FA yet.

On Thursday, Redknapp told Abu Dhabi Sports that he could envisage doing the job at Euro 2012 without leaving Tottenham, but beyond that the England job was too big to combine with a Premier League role.

'My focus is on trying to get Tottenham as high up the table as I can,' he said. 'We want a Champions League spot and we also have a chance in the FA Cup.'

'I've not spoken to anybody,' he said. 'I'm not going to rule myself out but I've not been ruled in either.'

'I was asked if could someone could do it just for Euros,' he said. 'In the long term it couldn't be done part-time, it would have be done full-time. You couldn't run any club in any country in world and do that job as well.'

Tottenham are third in the Premier League, seven points off the lead, and take on Stevenage in the fifth round of the FA Cup this weekend.