Harry Redknapp has admitted his “joke” about new England boss Thomas Tuchel being a “German spy” had “badly backfired”.
In footage obtained by the Guardian newspaper last month, the 78-year-old former Tottenham manager told a live audience Tuchel had been “sent over to f*** us up” during a charity event.
However, Redknapp has described his comments as “only a joke” and wished the German well in his efforts to guide the national to a first trophy since the 1966 World Cup.
He told Saudi Arabia’s state-owned television channel Al Arabiya: “No, don’t, don’t go there. Oh my god, it was a joke, you know, that badly backfired. But it was only a joke.
“Hopefully he can do well with the team. He managed a lot of the players at Chelsea. He’s certainly got talent at his disposal. We’ve got some fantastic young players in this country at the moment.”
At the event, Redknapp was asked questions about former England manager Gareth Southgate and his successor Tuchel, who took charge of his first games in March.
“I liked Gareth Southgate, I liked him a lot, but we should have won something,” Redknapp said in the published clip.
Then asked about Tuchel, Redknapp said: “I’ll be honest with you, I think he’s a German spy.
“I’m telling you, seriously, he’s been sent over to f*** us up. He has, I’m telling you, he’s like Lord Haw Haw in the war – ‘We have your best soldiers captured’ and all that.
“Go over and ruin that team.”
He then appeared to add the German word ‘ja’. His comments were met with laughter and cheering by the audience.
