Featured image credit: The Telegraph
Harry Redknapp is the latest Premier League manager to be involved in The Telegraph's investigation into corruption in the English game, with the ex-Spurs manager confirming that several of his former players used to bet on their own games.
Betting on a game you're playing in is a direct contravention of the FA rules and Redknapp has been filmed, undercover, admitting that some of his players "all had a spread bet" on a scoreline, with one of them reportedly telling an agent to "remortgage your house" because the odds were that favourable. The same agent then also claimed players from the opposition team had also bet on the same match.
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The game in question isn't revealed, but odds on Redknapp's team winning had been lengthened due to reports that he was set to field a weakened team, with his side having nothing left to play for during the particular season. Instead, Redknapp sent out a strong first XI, who won the match comfortably.
Image credit: The Telegraph
Not only is betting on a game involving your own club illegal by FA rules, but manager's who are aware of such behaviour are required to report it to the Football Association immediately. Redknapp jokes on the tape about being shocked when he found out about his players involvement and the paper reports that when they contacted the former QPR boss to put the allegations to him, his response was "Who gives a s--- about that?"
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Redknapp could find himself in trouble with the FA though if he knew about the bets being placed and failed to inform the governing body of English football, as he is required to do.
At the meeting, in the private members' club Crockfords in Mayfair were the football agents Dax Price and Pino Pagliara, with Price remembering the game in question (which is not being named for legal reasons), saying, "[Player A from Redknapp's team] phoned me and said remortgage your house 'cause the odds were mental, they were 5/2 at the time.
"All my family lumped on, we lumped on, I phoned him after 15 minutes because you had put, you put a good, you put a great side out as well, you put the best side out, and, um, I spoke to [opposition player], he was sitting in the stand... and he went, '[Redknapp's side] ain't touched the ball yet, first 15 minutes', and the game ended up [with Redknapp's side winning]. Even the [opposition] players were betting on it. I'll never forget it."
Price also reveals that one player put "20 grand on it".
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What will The Telegraph reveal next? Alan Pardew is a member of the occult? Alan Curbishley uses dodgy DNS codes to get US Netflix? Mike Phelan leaves restaurants without tipping?
(H/T The Telegraph)
Topics: Harry Redknapp, Football