Redknapp 'to leave Spurs' (From Haringey Independent)

Manager Harry Redknapp reported to be leaving Tottenham Hotspur

10:06pm Wednesday 13th June 2012 in Sport By Anthony Matthews, Group Sports Editor

Harry Redknapp is leaving Spurs, it is being widely reported tonight.

A number of news organisations are claiming the manager will leave White Hart Lane within the next 24 hours after a severance package has been agreed upon.

The 65-year-old, who had one year left on his contract at the Premier League club, angrily hit out at suggestions he had resigned last night, but it is claimed he had a meeting with chairman Daniel Levy today and that both sides were unable to reach agreement over an extended deal.

The former Bournemouth, Southampton and Portsmouth manager, who was widely expected to be appointed England boss prior to Roy Hodgson's appointment, was said to have wanted longer than the 12-month rolling contract deal he was being offered by Levy.

Commenting on his contract situation, Redknapp warned star players like Luka Modric and Gareth Bale could leave when he told ESPN: "The simple situation is, I've got a year left on my contract.

"It's up to Tottenham whether they want to extend that contract or not.

"If they don't extend it and I go into my last year, it's not an easy one when players know you've only got a year left.

"It's not a case of me looking for security. What it's about is players knowing you've only got one year left on your contract and knowing that it doesn't work, basically.

"I think it's a situation of, 'well, he might not be here next year'.

"You don't let players run into the last year of their contract if you think they're any good, and you don't let managers run into the last year of their contract if you think they're any good.

"It's up to Tottenham. If they think I'm okay and I've done a decent job and deserve an extension, they'll give it to me.

"If Daniel doesn't think I'm worth it, that's up to him, that's up to the club. There's nothing I can do about it."

Spurs looked set to finish in the top three for much of the Premier League season until a loss of form towards the end of the campaign saw them only narrowly hold on to a fourth-place finish. That would still normally have been sufficient to secure a Champions League spot but the north London outfit missed out following Chelsea's dramatic victory over Bayern Munich in the final.

Redknapp was appointed at White Hart Lane in October 2008 following the sacking of Juande Ramos when Spurs only had two points on the board following their first eight games. However, the White Hart Lane outfit improved significantly under his charge, reaching the League Cup final before finishing eighth in table.

The upturn in fortunes continued in the 2009/10 campaign, with Tottenham achieving a Premier League high fourth-place finish and Champions League football was duly confirmed following a play-off victory at the start of the next campaign.

After some memorable games in Europe's premier competition, Spurs were beaten on aggregrate by Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, but they were unable to secure Champions League football for a second consecutive season after coming fifth in the top flight.

Tottenham improved on that position by one place in the past season, and also reached the FA Cup semi-finals, but the 2011/12 campaign was a difficult one for Redknapp on a personal level, with the England saga beginning a matter of hours after he and co-accused Milan Mandaric were cleared of two charges of cheating the public revenue.