Harry Redknapp says he has not thought about EnglandHarry Redknapp says he has not thought about succeeding Fabio Capello and insists his focus remains on Tottenham.
The Spurs boss spoke to press outside his house on Thursday after Capello quit as England manager on Wednesday.
"I've never thought about [the England job]," he said. "[The FA] will make whatever decision they want to make and hopefully it will be right for the country. Tottenham have been fantastic.
"It wouldn't be right to focus on anything else other than Tottenham."
The Football Association has confirmed it has made no contact with the 64-year-old, who added that he was not expecting Capello to leave so suddenly.
"I was shocked, I was surprised," he said.
"We knew he would leave in summer. I didn't expect it to happen now."
Capello resigned from the post on Wednesday after a disagreement with the Football Association over the governing body's decision to strip John Terry of the England captaincy .
Spurs director Sir Keith Mills says it will be up to Redknapp to decide whether to stay at Spurs if he is offered the England post.
"Harry needs to make a decision whether he'd like the job or to stay at Tottenham," Mills told BBC Radio 4.
"I'm sure Harry won't be the only candidate. Whether Harry is approached or not is not a foregone conclusion."
However, Newcastle manager Alan Pardew and Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill have made it clear they are not interested in succeeding Capello.
The Italian resigned from the post on Wednesday after a disagreement with the Football Association following the governing body's decision to strip John Terry of the England captaincy.
Earlier the same day, Redknapp was cleared of tax evasion , and on exiting Southwark Crown Court he thanked Tottenham and the club's fans for their support.
Mills continued: "We think he's an outstanding manager and it would be a tough decision for him if he was to leave the club.
"Our position has been clear and that's that the fans want him to stay, the players and coaches do and the board does, and we hope he does stay.
"The whole club is behind Harry - remember when we took Harry on we knew there was an outstanding legal case, but we were very, very supportive of him."
FA officials have scheduled a press conference to be held at Wembley at 1200 GMT on Thursday and it is not yet known whether Redknapp is on their list of candidates.
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“I think trying to do two jobs is probably going to be a bit of a stretch for anyone
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But the former Bournemouth, West Ham, Southampton and Portsmouth manager is the bookies' favourite to succeed Capello, and has received support from defender Rio Ferdinand, striker Wayne Rooney and former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson .
"There's been speculation for several months because we knew that Fabio would be leaving after Euro 2012 anyway," Mills told the Today Programme. "I'm not terribly surprised because [Redknapp] is an extraordinary manager - he's done great things for the club.
"But at this stage, It's very premature to talk about Harry's departure from Tottenham - the FA haven't made a decision on their shortlist yet and I'm sure Harry won't be the only candidate.
"If he is [approached], Harry has got a big decision to make. I know he loves the club; he's managing a top three team in the biggest league in the world, we're doing incredibly well at the moment, and I know he loves it."
Redknapp told BBC business editor Robert Peston in December that he thought an English manager should have the England job: "It's the pinnacle for any Englishman to want to manage their country... I would like to see an English manager manage England," he said.
"I would like to see that...when Fabio Capello finishes. I would like to see them give it to an Englishman."
In the same interview, the Spurs boss voiced concern over the reduced contact with players that national managers have to contend with.
"I enjoy the day to day, coming in to work with players, going out on the training pitch every day, seeing the players, being involved every day," he told Peston.
"I don't know if seeing players once every six or seven weeks - it would be different for me and I'd find it very difficult. I'd get very bored, I would imagine."
Nevertheless, in the December interview, Redknapp also admitted that the England job was "difficult to turn down...for any Englishman".
Mills played down talk of Redknapp taking on the England job on a part-time basis alongside his responsibilities at White Hart Lane.
"I think trying to do two jobs is probably going to be a bit of a stretch for anyone," he said.
"Clearly that's not an ideal scenario. A football manager needs to focus on doing the job in hand and now, I should think he's probably focusing on the Newcastle game on Saturday."
Former Tottenham manager David Pleat was also sceptical as to whether Redknapp could take the England job before the end of the domestic season.
"I think someone will be put in place until the end of the season and then deal with it from there," Pleat said.
"I don't think Tottenham will let [Redknapp] go during the season and I don't think he will want to go either but that might change at the end of the season.
"At his clubs, he hasn't spent a lot of money, but he has brought a type of football that the public enjoy and I think that's important."
"I don't think it's an option to do it on a part-time basis."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/16960250 And the lies continue. I do believe that 'Arry is happy at Spurs but to say he hasn't even thought about the England job, pull the other one!
