Birmingham City are expected to sign several players to improve on last season’s 19th place, but is Redknapp right to look at so many players that are entering their latter playing years?
Birmingham City fans will have wondered what talent Harry Redknapp would bring to their club when he agreed to become the Blues’ permanent manager at the end of last season.
But regular attendees of St Andrews might not have expected Redknapp to be linked with a trio of players that SkySports has labelled veterans of the game.
Birmingham City manager Harry Redknapp
Redknapp has extensive contacts, having managed West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, QPR and Portsmouth in the Premier League.
His knowledge of the game is probably second to none among English managers. Therefore, it might be hard to question his thinking when he believes signing Ashley Cole, 36, Stewart Downing, 32, and Robbie Keane, 37, is what Birmingham City need.
Talking to SkySports about Ashley Cole and Robbie Keane who play in the MLS, Harry said: “They are not over the hill. I went to Portsmouth in the same sort of situation. I went there and took Paul Merson, Steve Stone, Tim Sherwood – all fantastic professionals.
“They were proper blokes, proper men and we won the league. You want them to blend in with the younger ones.”
Robbie Keane in his Tottenham Hotspur days
Redknapp is interested in all of three of the players but is not sure if they will sign, reports the Irish Independent.
Robbie Keane was linked earlier in July with when the Sun reported Redknapp as saying: “he would not want to be a liar,” and deny interest in the player.
Redknapp has also made an approach to LA Galaxy for Ashley Cole, 36, says the Sun. But Redknapp has questioned whether Birmingham City would have enough money to buy Stewart Downing, reports Gazette Live.
The reaction among Birmingham City fans has not been that enthusiastic on Redknapp’s proper players, but their tune might change if Redknapp does get the players in and has a good start to the season.
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