In an alternate reality, Harry Redknapp is currently drawing up his England squad for Euro 2016. In our universe, however, his international coaching career has taken flight a little further from home. Just days after accepting an advisory role at Derby County, the former Spurs and West Ham boss has been named the coach of Jordan's national team on a two-game deal, reports the BBC.The 69-year-old Englishman will lead the Middle-Eastern side in World Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh and Australia this month."This is a fantastic step for the national game in Jordan," said the country's FA president Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, a losing candidate in the recent FIFA presidential election."Harry is a world class manager with an internationally recognised record at the highest level."Redknapp has never managed an international team, nor has he coached abroad. In fact, all of his managerial roles have been at clubs either on the south coast (Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Southampton) or in London (Spurs, QPR, West Ham).However, Redknapp does follow a line of English bosses at the Jordanian national side that stretches back to George Skinner in the late sixties. Tony Banfield managed the country over two spells during the eighties, while Ray Wilkins took charge between 2014 and '15.Redknapp is also known for his long working relationship with coach Joe Jordan. No announcement yet as to whether Jordan joins Jordan, however.Jordan (the country) have never qualified for a World Cup. They sit second in their qualifying group, but must still progress to a final round, which would likely see them facing continental heavyweights such as Japan and South Korea. As part-time jobs to take up in your late-sixties go, Harry's definitely opted for a challenge.
Advertisement