Redknapp adopts a cautious approach

Harry Redknapp reckons managing England in June's European Championship while still coaching at club level would be difficult to do, the Tottenham Hotspur boss told reporters on Friday.

The 64-year-old has been so widely backed by punters to succeed Fabio Capello as the next England manager that bookmakers William Hill and Ladbrokes are closing their books on any more bets.

FA Chairman David Bernstein, who began the search for a new manager on Friday following Wednesday's resignation by Capello, would consider a temporary coach leading England into the finals in Poland and Ukraine but Redknapp was quick to distance himself from the idea.

“I think it would be difficult. It's hard enough managing a league club let alone managing your country. It's two very difficult jobs. You have got to focus on one job,” he told a news conference at Spurs' training ground.

“I can't take my eye off the ball at Tottenham at the moment because we are looking to get Champions League football, we are still in the FA Cup and I owe it to them to keep completely focused on the job I'm doing here.

“It wouldn't be fair to anybody at this club if I suddenly started letting my thoughts wander elsewhere.”

While Redknapp is the popular choice for the job, it is no foregone conclusion he will succeed Capello, who quit after a row with the FA over the stripping of the captaincy from John Terry.

Given his comments about a jobshare, Redknapp may have to leave Spurs at the end of the season to take the full-time reins of England for the Euros if he is offered the job and accepts it.

However, at this stage he does not want to think about the idea of quitting Tottenham, even in May.

“I enjoy my time here, the chairman (Daniel Levy) has been great to me and I've been good for him as well so it's difficult.

“But until the question gets asked would you want the job -- and nobody has approached Daniel, and that's the key he's the chairman, until he rings me up and says 'Look I've had an approach' then really there's nothing for me to consider,” he said.