Ex-Spurs boss says ‘plenty’ of English stars did not want to represent their country.
Harry Redknapp has claimed a number of Tottenham players did not want to play for England during his spell in charge at White Hart Lane.
Redknapp spent four years at Spurs, managing a number of England internationals including Ledley King, Jermaine Jenas, Jermain Defoe, Aaron Lennon and Steven Caulker.
But the 66-year-old, who was sacked by Spurs in summer 2012 and is currently in charge of Championship outfit QPR, says ‘plenty’ of Tottenham’s English players did not want to represent their country.
“It is sad, but England can sometimes be quite painful to watch, and I know from some of the players that it is not an enjoyable experience for them, either,” Redknapp wrote in his autobiography, serialised by the Daily Mail.
“I’ve heard a great many wonder about carrying on in international football because they get slaughtered if the result isn’t right or they don’t play well.
“They leave clubs they love — where everybody is together — go and play for England and find that this faction doesn’t like that lot, and after one off-night everybody gets ripped to pieces.
“When I was at Tottenham I had plenty of players who said, ‘I don’t want to play, pull me out of the squad, I don’t want to go.’
“Times have changed. My generation would have given their right arm just to be named in the squad, but the younger ones aren’t steeped in that tradition. They can’t be bothered.”
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