Harry Redknapp reckons moody Soccer Aid celebs are harder to manage than footballers
Harry Redknapp's faced many uphill battles in his legendary managerial career and contended with a whole host of characters - but Soccer Aid presents a different challenge
Harry Redknapp says footballers are easier to boss than the celebs he manages for Soccer Aid.
The footie boss is returning to the dugout in charge of the England side for the charity game – alongside nephew Frank Lampard. Redknapp has regularly been a coach in the iconic celebrity match, which will take place on Sunday June 9 at Stamford Bridge.
The fixture will also be another return to West London for Lampard, who took charge of Chelsea for the second time last season. While both Redknapp and Lampard have worked with many difficult characters during their time as a manager, the 77-year-old thinks current and former professionals are much easier to manage than the celebrities who take part.
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The former Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers manager, 77, said: “Celebrities all think they are good and some of them are not as good as they think they are. When you take them off they are not very happy.
“They are great, all great and give up their time.” When it comes to preparing for the big game, in aid of Unicef 2024, Harry said he would just turn up on the day.
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He said: “I will talk to Frank about it and we will sort a team out between us.” But he insists he still wants to win. He added: “I get the hump when we get beat.
"That is how I am, you don’t care what you play you want to win. It will be a fun couple of days for sure.” Redknapp has not taken charge of a club since his brief stint as manager of Birmingham City.
He was in the Blues dugout for 14 matches between April 2017 and September 2017. His time with the Midlanders started promisingly, with two wins in his first three matches at the end of the 2016-17 Championship season.
Unfortunately for him, the first full campaign of his tenure was cut short, as a ghastly run of six consecutive defeats saw him be dismissed by the club in September 2017.
The game takes place on June 9 at Stamford Bridge, London. See socceraid.org/tickets