Players 'tried to skip England duty'

[QPR Richard]

Read what HR had to say. If true it's disgraceful. Whoever's involved should be named and shamed.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/27962633

[DeepcutHoop]

Depressingly believable story.

Classless from Redknapp though, and nothing at all to do with him not getting the England job, and reminding everyone of that now that England failed in Brazil. No sir..........

If I were a current player I'd be very careful about what I said to Harry, if this is the kind of crap he's going to pull down the line.

[zeberdee]

what is so secret about modern players prioritising their club and not delivering for england?
it is one of them things that people in football understand but it tends not to get the headlines
last time england players performed to even their club standard was euro 96 -

that is nearly 20 years ago

[Lunar Jetman]

last time england players performed to even their club standard was euro 96 -

that is nearly 20 years ago

Players these days are paid hundreds of thousands a week by their clubs so is it any wonder they worry more about playing for their club than their country...

[fisnik]

Harry opened a can of worms there. Should have just kept quiet.

[Stanley]

Read what HR had to say. If true it's disgraceful. Whoever's involved should be named and shamed.

Andy Cole reiterated exactly the same thing the other day on live TV. These stories have been known about for ages, it just makes the headlines when someone like Harry "good-for-a-quote" Redknapp says it.

[Hertford Hoop]

Just wish Harry kept quite, it doesn't do him or us any credit. I'd imagine it will fester for a while and Harry (and QPR) will be tarnished.

He is probably spot on but because it has come from him others will see it as sour grapes. I'd expect Jamie to do some PR work on Harry's behalf.

[West Acton]

Who are the spurs possibles then that were in England squad while he was their I can think of Parker, Walker, Defoe, Townsend (was that after his time he broke in??), Bent, Dawson, Rose for U21s anymore?????

[DeepcutHoop]

Who are the spurs possibles then that were in England squad while he was their I can think of Parker, Walker, Defoe, Townsend (was that after his time he broke in??), Bent, Dawson, Rose for U21s anymore?????

Bentley maybe? King? Crouch?

[Superhoop Jim]

Bentley maybe? King? Crouch?

He might be talking about Bentley, but we all already know he once pulled out of a U21 game for being "tired" and got a lot of stick for it back when he was at Blackburn. Was he ever called up when he was at spurs?

[Johnnykc]

Nice to see Harry isn't still feeling bitter about not getting the England job then........

[Johnny Tightlips]

Who are the spurs possibles then that were in England squad while he was their I can think of Parker, Walker, Defoe, Townsend (was that after his time he broke in??), Bent, Dawson, Rose for U21s anymore?????

Jenas, Huddlestone, Lennon, Bentley, Crouch, Defoe?

I can't imagine that Defoe, Crouch or Townsend would cry off though.

[MYU]

I don't think Defoe was one of them, if you had seen he's documentary he wanted to play for England but wasn't given many chances.

Mark Douglas: Why Harry Redknapp has no part to play in the debate about the future of English football

England do not need to apologise for turning Tuesday’s Group D denouement into the biggest anti-climax of the sporting year.

More...

[jmelanie]

I think what HR is trying to say is that there is too much pressure put on the England players. For instance this world cup, everybody said from the beginning that we did not have a hope. Maybe we didn't, but you don't hear outside countries (like the US and Costa Rica) saying this. The England players know that if they do not play well, they are going to get a lot of stick from the press especially and also from supporters. This doesn't help. Most of the England players are quite capable of putting in a good performance. They do week in an week out for their clubs. However, when it comes to playing for England this isn't the case. Maybe HR could have been more diplomatic (but as we all know that is not HR), but I think what he was trying to say is that changes need to be made if England is ever going to succeed.

[DeepcutHoop]

I think what HR is trying to say is that there is too much pressure put on the England players. For instance this world cup, everybody said from the beginning that we did not have a hope. Maybe we didn't, but you don't hear outside countries (like the US and Costa Rica) saying this. The England players know that if they do not play well, they are going to get a lot of stick from the press especially and also from supporters. This doesn't help. Most of the England players are quite capable of putting in a good performance. They do week in an week out for their clubs. However, when it comes to playing for England this isn't the case. Maybe HR could have been more diplomatic (but as we all know that is not HR), but I think what he was trying to say is that changes need to be made if England is ever going to succeed.

What Redknapp is really saying is "You should have made me England manager, please remember me when Roy leaves"