Redknapp released after being questioned

The long-running investigation into corruption in British professional soccer stepped up a gear last night when one of England's top coaches, Harry Redknapp, was among five men arrested by fraud squad detectives.

Portsmouth manager Redknapp was released late last night and said he believed his release from Chichester police station was "the end of it."

Redknapp spoke as he returned to his multi-million pound home at Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset. He said: "We all helped the police with their enquiries, but it doesn't directly concern me, it's other people involved. I've been answering questions to help the police. I am not directly concerned with their enquiries."

Redknapp confirmed that he had been arrested and said: "They have to arrest you to talk to you, for you to be in the police station. I think that's the end of it, it didn't directly concern me."

Redknapp was held as part of the investigation into alleged bungs (illegal payments) in the game. Also arrested were the chief executive of Portsmouth, Peter Storrie, and Milan Mandaric, the Serbian businessman who owned Portsmouth until September last year and is now chairman of Leicester City. A player, the Charlton Athletic midfielder Amdy Faye (30), and the football agent Willie McKay (48) were also arrested.

The transfer of Senegalese international Faye from Portsmouth to Newcastle was one of the 17 deals the former chief of London's Metropolitan police force, John Stevens, highlighted as having concerns about when at the end of his inquiry into football transfers.

Monaco-based McKay acted as agent for the transfer while Mandaric was chairman of Portsmouth when Faye went to Newcastle in January 2005. Faye moved from the French club Auxerre to Portsmouth in August 2003.

Faye has since played for Charlton and is now on loan with Glasgow Rangers. Redknapp was arrested as he returned to Britain after watching Rangers' 3-2 defeat against Stuttgart in Germany on Tuesday night in the Champions League.

City of London police said earlier the five arrested were being held on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting.

Meanwhile, Paul Jewell, who ruled himself out of the running for the vacant Republic of Ireland job last week, has returned to club football after a six-month sabbatical. The 43-year-old yesterday signed a three-and-a-half year deal to manage Premier League strugglers Derby County after Billy Davies was sacked.

Having quit Wigan in May after keeping them up with a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United on the final day of the season, Jewell could not resist the challenge offered by Derby.

Another manager on the move, former Scotland manager Alex McLeish, is confident he can also achieve the number-one priority of helping Birmingham avoid relegation after admitting "the lure of the Premier League" tempted him to quit as Scotland manager.

Gary McAllister has ruled himself out of contention to replace McLeish as Scotland manager. McAllister, who was interviewed for the job after Walter Smith's resignation, said: "It was right then but now I'd be looking for other things."

Sources close to former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho have played down reports that he is eager to talk to the FA about the England job.