Harry Redknapp led Portsmouth to FA Cup glory in 2008.
Respected former Premier League manager Harry Redknapp has described his recent remark referring to England manager Thomas Tuchel as “a German spy” as a “joke” that “went badly wrong”.
Redknapp made the controversial statement about the German coach at a charity event last month, during which he also seemingly performed a Nazi salute.
In an interview aired Wednesday on Saudi Arabia’s Al Arabiya News, Redknapp addressed the episode while discussing England’s appointment of foreign manager Tuchel. The host referenced his “German spy” remark, prompting Redknapp to clarify: “No, don’t go there. Oh my god, it was a joke, you know, that badly backfired. But it was only a joke.”
Tuchel, previously in charge at Chelsea, officially assumed his England duties in January and quickly led the side to World Cup qualifying victories over Albania and Latvia in his initial matches.
Redknapp, 78, had spoken in front of a London audience prior to those fixtures, where he was questioned regarding his thoughts on Tuchel.
“I’ll be honest with you, I think he’s a German spy. I’m telling you,” Redknapp can be seen stating in a video published by the Guardian., external
“Seriously, he’s been sent over to [expletive] us up. He has. I’m telling ya, he’s like Lord Haw Haw in the war – ‘We have your best soldiers captured’ and all that.”
William Joyce, known as Lord Haw-Haw, was infamous for broadcasting Nazi propaganda to Britain during World War II.
Redknapp also went on to suggest, in jest, that Tuchel had been instructed to “go over and ruin that team”.
He appeared to accompany his comments with a Nazi salute gesture, eliciting laughter from the audience.
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