Ipswich Town: Harry Redknapp hopes Blues survive in Premier League
Harry Redknapp has revealed he would ‘love it’ if Ipswich Town flourish on their return to the Premier League after a 22-year absence.
The former West Ham and Tottenham manager – once an advisor to former Blues owner Marcus Evans – spoke fondly of the Suffolk club when asked about their back-to-back promotions.
“Ipswich is a lovely, good football club with great tradition – Alf Ramsey, Bobby Robson and with what George Burley achieved. It’s wonderful to see them get back up there,” he said.
“I am looking forward to seeing them when they arrive to Bournemouth. I shall be there. I go to all the events at Bournemouth every week.
I purchase my tickets and go with the grandkids. “I hope Ipswich remain up. I really do. I’d love to see them stay up. I hope they surprise individuals. “When Bournemouth came up back in the day with Eddie Howe – 11,000 people the stadium holds – everyone figured they’d go down.
“But they immediately established themselves in the Premier League, which I could never in a million years have imagined. “If you’d said to me 20-odd years ago that Bournemouth will be in the Premier League one day – we were having 2,500, 3,000 people in there.
“It’s not like Ipswich. Ipswich has always been a strong club with incredible players like (Kevin) Beattie and Alan Brazil, Matt Holland, Arnold Muhren and (Frans) Thijssen – the two Dutchmen, two of the first to come over who were fantastic players back in the day.
Good success to them.” Meanwhile, Redknapp, speaking as a brand ambassador for free to play fantasy football game Sorare, discussed England’s chances at Euro 2024.
Reflecting on last Friday’s 1-0 defeat by Iceland at Wembley, he said: “I really fancy us so strongly to win the Euros but that really was a bit of a downer. Suddenly, if we’re honest it does start placing a few doubts in your mind that weren’t there.
“I could probably have played in goal instead of the Iceland goalkeeper for all that he had to do. We had one shot on target or something insane.
“I was a bit disappointed to hear Gareth (Southgate) say he was more concerned about what we did off the ball than what we did on it. I really don’t comprehend that one. Maybe it’s too cunning for me to understand.
” He continued: “I think Harry Maguire’s a big loss for us, I really do. I know he’s not everybody’s favourite player, but he’s excellent in both boxes at set plays and he’s a leader, a character. The athletes like him.
He’s a huge personality around the team and in the camp. We mustn’t deceive ourselves. That is the problem area.” With England poised to start their campaign against Serbia on Sunday night, he added: “When you look at the other squads and then you look at our squad, it’s an amazing group of players really.
“We’ve got so much attacking talent that I think we can take it to teams. Rather than seek to sit back and be too defensive minded, I think we’ve got to go at teams and really take the game to them. “Gareth errs on the side of safety a little bit. That’s his style. It works for him but I’d have a go with this group.
“(Jude) Bellingham has come to the fore now. What a talent. Is there a stronger right-back anywhere than Kyle Walker? (Phil) Foden, arguably the player of the year in the Premier League.
Harry Kane, arguably the best centre forward in the world. (Bukayo) Saka’s got another two years under his belt. (Declan) Rice has got more experience now. “There’s so many good young players around at the moment that it’s exciting.”
