Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp denies making obscene gesture at Shamrock fans

The 64-year-old raised a fist at fans during the 4-0 victory but he denies making an "obscene gesture" after seeing his side crash out of the Europa League

15 Dec 2011 22:50:00

By Michael Lightfoot

More On :  Shamrock Rovers, Tottenham, Harry Redknapp
Harry Redknapp
Getty Images

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp could face Uefa disciplinary action after he was seen making a clenched-fist gesture at the Shamrock Rovers fans during his side's 4-0 victory in the Europa League.

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The victory wasn't enough to see the north Londoners progress to the last 32 of the competition due to other results.

When asked by reporters if he had made an obscene gesture, Redknapp refuted the claims by saying: "Not really. Did I make an "obscene" gesture? No, I didn't make... No.

"I have spent enough time in Ireland to know what lovely people they are.

"If you go and meet them afterwards they are probably lovely people. But they get together and shout a load of nonsense and that is football. That's life. I don't hold any grudges."

Redkapp's team beat their hosts quite comfortably, with goals from Steven Pienaar, Andros Townsend, Jermain Defoe and Harry Kane but it wasn't enough to qualify for the next round as 10-man Russian outfit Rubin Kazan got the point that they needed to progress.

The 64-year-old continued: "We came and did the job we had to do but when you are in a situation like we were tonight and you are relying on another score, it is always difficult.

"At half-time, with the Russian team losing 1-0 having gone down to 10 men very early in the first half, I thought maybe they will be beaten 2-0 or 3-0, and we would just need to win by three or four, but I had a feeling they would draw.

"It was disappointing. I want to win every game. We haven't not gone through for lack of trying.

"Maybe if I had played players like Scott Parker and Rafa van der Vaart we might have sneaked through, but we might not have won 10 out of 11 league games though."

Redknapp will now try blooding his youngsters in the loan market now his side are out of the Europa League, a competition that the manager used to a great extend in fielding his youth players.

He told ITV4: "I thought when Rubin Kazan went down to 10 men that we might have a good chance and four goals would be enough. But it was a good experience for some of the younger players in our squad and they will probably go out on loan in January now.

"I am a big believer in the loan system and they will go and do well for somebody else now."

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