HARRY REDKNAPP will “not be rushed” back by Tottenham Hotspur after heart surgery yesterday, meaning he may not take charge of the club’s visit to Fulham for Sunday’s London derby. Redknapp (64) may not leave hospital until tomorrow, the club said.
“The club can report that earlier today Harry successfully had two stents inserted to unblock coronary arteries. He is in excellent spirits and due to be discharged from hospital in the next 48 hours. Harry has asked us to pass on his thanks to all the many, many fans who have sent goodwill messages,” the club said last night.
Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chairman, said: “We are delighted the operation went so smoothly and successfully. Knowing Harry he will want to rush back but it’s important that he only does so when he has recovered properly.”
The club described the operation as minor and it is understood Redknapp was awake during a procedure that is usually carried out via the groin or arm.
The requirement for surgery took the Tottenham squad by surprise with Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart saying: “We were totally surprised and I was a little bit scared for him when I heard. I hope he’s going to get better and that we can keep winning for him.”
Spurs are in Russia preparing for tonight’s Europa League group game against Rubin Kazan. Joe Jordan, the first-team coach, and the assistant manager, Kevin Bond, will take charge for an encounter that, if won, will give them a commanding position in the standings.
William Gallas and Steven Pienaar will both make their first Tottenham appearances of the season in tonight’s game.
Scott Parker, Sandro, Gareth Bale and Luka Modric have been left in London but Jermain Defoe and Sebastien Bassong have travelled and are likely to start. The youngsters Andros Townsend, Harry Kane and Tom Carroll will come into the side but Danny Rose (ankle) and Giovani dos Santos (calf) are out.
Following the visit to Craven Cottage, Spurs do not play for a fortnight due to the international break, which should allow Redknapp further time to recuperate.
Redknapp has taken medication for his heart for a number of years. The former Portsmouth manager, who has been in charge of Spurs for three years, said in a newspaper article in March 2010 that he had started taking heart pills on the advice of his doctors but that it was not a major problem.
Redknapp is the latest manager to suffer health problems related to the pressures of management, following Alex Ferguson, Gerard Houllier, Sam Allardyce and Joe Kinnear.
Houllier had an 11-hour emergency aortic dissection after experiencing heart problems at half-time during Liverpool’s game against Leeds in 2001, and required a similar operation last season when in charge of Aston Villa. The former Lyon manager did not take charge of another game at Villa following his most recent heart scare, leaving the club in the summer.
Ferguson had a pacemaker fitted in 2004 but was back at work at Manchester United the following day. Allardyce, now in charge at West Ham United, underwent heart surgery while in charge of Blackburn Rovers two years ago, while Kinnear had a triple heart bypass earlier in the same year while at Newcastle.
Redknapp’s success in taking Tottenham into the Champions League for the first time last season and his guiding of Portsmouth to the FA Cup in 2008 have made him a strong favourite to succeed Fabio Capello as England manager following next summer’s European Championships.
