Should Redknapp face an FA disrepute charge? Remember Sutton?

Unsurprisingly Roy Hodgson and Steven Gerrard were not impressed with Harry Redknapp's comments that some Spurs players tried to avoid international duty.



The former Tottenham bosses comments on BBC Radio Five Live’s Sportsweek programme raised plenty of questions the FA should require answers to. I have assumed Redknapp was only talking about friendlies and not competitive internationals, that needs clarification.

"I can tell you that, when I was at Tottenham, when full internationals came around there were two or three players who did not want to play for England.

"They would come to me 10 days before the game and say: 'Gaffer, get me out of that game, I don't want to play in that game' - that was how it was.

"That is the truth, so it makes you wonder ... and I think it's only going to get worse. You see the stick the England players get. They're earning fantastic money at their clubs, they're all playing in the Champions League. They wonder: 'Do I need the aggro?'"

The full article: Redknapp - Some players don't want to play for England

The FA should now be having a word with Redknapp to ask him to explain his comments. During a World Cup this is effectively bringing the game into disrepute.

All Spurs players have now been tainted. During his time as Spurs boss Harry Redknapp worked with 12 England players - Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch, Aaron Lennon, Darren Bent, Scott Parker, David Bentley, Jermaine Jenas, Michael Dawson, Tom Huddlestone, Jonathan Woodgate, Ledley King and Kyle Walker.

Is he talking only about full internationals or does this include Under 21 games and other age groups. Are players like Andros Townsend, Tom Carroll or Harry Kane involved for instance?

The general public will be wondering if England regulars Andros Townsend and Kyle Walker are among the players he is talking about, they won't start associating and working out who was playing under him they will just tar all Spurs players with the same brush. Certainly if I were Walker or Townsend I would want my name publicly cleared.

Roy Hodgson certainly needs to know who they are, he also feels Redknapp should name them.

"In the two years I've been here, I've seen a greater interest in playing for England, so Harry's comments come as a bit of a surprise to me.

"I've spoken to Jermain and he's devastated [not to be in Brazil].

"We need names. It's not been the case here. I can guarantee it's not been the case here.

"If you make comments like that, you have to name them."

England captain Steven Gerrard also feels the players should be named and shamed. Personally I feel very strongly that any who ever turns down their country should never play for them again, to me it's scandalous that goalkeeper Ben Foster is at the World Cup after he refused to play for his country.

It's disgusting that he was not prepared to be in England squads but then when a World Cup in Brazil is approaching he makes himself available. Roy Hodgson should never have asked him.

"I'd be interested to find out who those players are.

"If Harry is making a comment like that, he should name them and embarrass them. No one in this group wants to go home. No one wants to go home.

"If what he says is right it's disgusting. For me, if a player doesn't want to be, he doesn't deserve to be here at a World Cup.

"But the comment is not clear. 'They' didn't want to play for England. Who? Name them. Is it Aaron Lennon, Kyle Walker, Andros Townsend? I don't know who he means. Was it five years ago? 10 years ago? Should Harry not name them?" 

Of course Harry Redknapp won't name the players because without proof they sue him for defamation of character but he has put question marks over some tremendous former players and current England players.

Will the FA now do it's duty, interview him and let the public know that Kyle Walker and Andros Townsend have never refused to play for their country, assuming they are not guilty of course.

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Do you remember what happened to Chris Sutton when he refused England? What happened after was the right approach.

In February 1998 Sutton refused a call up to an England B game when Glenn Hoddle was England manager. He never played for England again, never got near a squad.

In 2011 he recalled that moment as the biggest regret of his career when promoting his autobiography, which Hoddle didn't contribute to.

“It’s a pity Glenn Hoddle did not contribute to my book just to give it a bit of twist, but I don’t know why he did not want to.

“The England thing is a big regret. I should not have done it and I really regret it.”

Obviously Mr Sutton Hoddle didn't want to promote your book, you refused your country and then want help to improve a product so you can make more sales and make yourself more money. Me me me.

When your country calls, you answer, if you refuse, you should never be picked in a squad again at any level. So who are they Harry?

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