QPR Boss Redknapp: Some young players don't fancy representing their country

Questions: QPR boss Redknapp says some young players don't fancy representing their country

Harry Redknapp has questioned the commitment of young English players to representing the Three Lions - claiming there are those who try to skip international duty.

The current QPR boss highlighted his experience of managing England's youngsters during his time at Tottenham Hotspur, recalling how some were reluctant to represent their country.

"I still think we go to tournaments, whether it be under-17s, under-19s, under-21s, there are too many pull-outs, it seems to be everyone has got an excuse," said Redknapp, speaking to BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme.

"And I can tell you when I was at Tottenham, when full internationals came around, there were two or three players who did not want to play for England.

"They would come to me 10 days before the game and say, 'Gaffer, get me out of that game, I don't want to play in that game'. That was how it was. I'd say, 'you're playing for your country, you should want to play'.

"(They would say) 'Nah, my girlfriend is having a baby in four weeks, I don't want to play' and that is the truth, so it makes you wonder.

"And I think it's only going to get worse. You see the stick the England players get and they come home, they're earning fantastic money at their clubs, they're all playing in the Champions League. They think, 'Do we need the aggro?"'

Former Southampton star Matthew Le Tissier, who won only eight England caps in his career, said Redknapp's revelation "sticks a knife through your heart".

Redknapp, 67, did hand his backing to Roy Hodgson - the man picked by the FA seemingly at his expense in 2012 - but was damning in his assessment of England's World Cup performance, describing Italy and Uruguay as "average", and declaring that Group D was "not a difficult group".

"For Costa Rica to top the group by beating Italy and Uruguay, that tells you all you need to know about the group," he added.

Miserable: England have failed in 'not a difficult group' according to Redknapp

"For me it's the worst Italy team for years. Uruguay have two world-class strikers but then not too many players you'd fancy in the Premier League, let alone playing for your country...

"We've got good players, players who are good week-in, week-out in the Premier League. You look at half the other teams in the tournament and there are loads of players who come to the Premier League and couldn't get a game...You know we've got better players than them but for some reason with good manager after good manager, we just don't get results."

And when asked about Football Association chairman Greg Dyke's target of winning the 2022 World Cup, Redknapp was dismissive.

"Good luck," he said. "Are we kidding? How are we going to go to Doha and win a World Cup in heat we'll struggle just to run around in? Not a prayer."

Source: Mirror Sport 

By Alex Richards