EVEN England’s arch rivals Germany thought Harry Redknapp was a dead cert to be national boss.
Some of the biggest names in German football were bewildered when the FA appointed West Brom boss Roy Hodgson instead.
Germany enforcer Bastian Schweinsteiger, his Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes and international skipper Philipp Lahm were scratching their heads.
Schweinsteiger said: “The work Redknapp has done at Tottenham is perfect. The other one, I don’t know.
“I hope he will bring the national team of England back to the top because it is a footballing nation and England should be one of the top teams in the world.”
Asked if he had at least heard of Hodgson, Schweinsteiger added: “Yes, but I can’t tell you anything about what he’s like with players, or how he trains them.
“I’ve heard more about Harry Redknapp because, with Tottenham, he played really good football, especially in the Champions League last season.”
Bayern boss Heynckes — who won the Bundesliga with the German giants and the Champions League with Real Madrid — revealed he knew little of Hodgson.
Worse he slammed the FA’s THREE-MONTH delay in appointing a new chief after Fabio Capello quit in February.
Heynckes, 66, said: “No, I cannot imagine that this delay would happen in Germany. Absolutely not because we have a totally different mentality.
“I don’t think it would be possible in Germany. They would have sorted it out way, way before. Whether it’s with a club or a national team, when one manager finishes, the next day the new one is presented.”
Heynckes said he had heard top stars such as Wayne Rooney and Rio Ferdinand had publicly given Redknapp their endorsement.
He added: “I don’t know him well. But I’ve followed the discussions and also heard the opinions of the national team players and they would have preferred the Tottenham manager.
“But as often with national associations, they don’t listen.
“To be the manager of the English national team is not that easy. What do I know? Maybe there were difficulties, or problems with Redknapp.”
Germany and Bayern skipper Lahm said: “I don’t know Roy Hodgson well. But I think it was very, very important they made a decision and that there is a manager in place now.
“You need training sessions before a big tournament like the European Championships and the weeks just before a tournament are very important when the team is together.
“It’s particularly important with Chelsea in the Champions League final, because their players will be joining up late with the national squad.”
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