Harry Redknapp clarifies Thomas Tuchel 'German spy' remark

Updated: 01 May, 2025 • 0 • min read

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Harry Redknapp clarifies Thomas Tuchel 'German spy' remark

Photo: PA

Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has admitted his controversial "German spy" joke about England boss Thomas Tuchel "badly backfired", insisting it was made in jest and expressing support for the German coach.

Redknapp sparked controversy last month after jokingly comparing Tuchel to a wartime propagandist during a live audience event in London.

I'll be honest with you. I think he's a German spy. I'm telling you. Seriously, he's been sent over to f*** us up.

The joke quickly went viral, sparking criticism on social media and from sections of the press, who questioned the appropriateness of referencing such sensitive historical analogies in modern sport.

Redknapp: 'It Was Only a Joke'

Speaking this week on Alarabiya News in an interview focused on the lack of English managers in top-flight football, Redknapp addressed the backlash directly.

Oh my god, it was a joke that badly backfired. But it was only a joke.

Hopefully [Tuchel] can do well with the team. He managed a lot of the players at Chelsea. He's certainly got talent at his disposal.

Whilst the 78-year-old initially expressed reservations about a foreign coach leading the national side, he acknowledged the lack of English alternatives at the time.

For me Eddie Howe was the only choice. But now he's got a great job at Newcastle. I'm sure if the England job came up he wouldn't be able to turn it down eventually.

Backing Tuchel to Win Silverware

Despite the early controversy, Redknapp now appears to be throwing his support behind Tuchel, praising England's current pool of talent and suggesting the German manager is well-placed to bring long-awaited success.

The English players that play in the Premier League are special talents - and then you've got [Jude] Bellingham playing for Real Madrid. And the best centre forward in the world - Harry Kane.

So there's a great nucleus there for [Tuchel] him to go on and win a trophy. We should have won a trophy by now.

Tuchel, formerly of Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bayern Munich, took over from Gareth Southgate following England's disappointing Euro 2024 campaign.

His appointment was met with scepticism by some media outlets, with The Daily Mail labelling it "a dark day for England".

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