Harry's Games

A new biography of one of England's greatest football managers from the Guardian journalist and author of Vertigo, John Crace.

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Who is Harry Redknapp? Football genius or football chancer? Master tactician or practical joker? How is it that even when he was facing court proceedings for tax evasion so many people were still seriously tipping him to be the next England manager? How can one man have two such diametrically opposed and incompatible career trajectories? Does the longing to have an English manager in charge of the national side warp people's thinking?'

To Portsmouth fans, Redknapp was the man who walked on water and won them an FA Cup. To Southampton fans, he is still the devil incarnate who had them relegated before jumping ship to their arch rivals. Spurs fans aren't sure what he is, bit don't care as long as he keeps the team together and winning. Sometimes he's the Messiah, at others the clown. Whoever he is, Crace is determined to find out.