Bruce gives Redknapp backing

Wigan boss Steve Bruce has given Tottenham coach Harry Redknapp his backing, and feels the English boss has all the abilities and attributes to make Tottenham a top four club.

Redknapp left Portsmouth last week to take over Tottenham, who had earlier sacked Juande Ramos.

"I'm a big, big Harry Redknapp fan," Bruce said in the Wigan Observer. "He's been in the game for 25 years and he never seems to lose his enthusiasm.

"He's proved over the years he's an exceptionally gifted manager and he built a really good squad at Portsmouth.

"When you've got the likes of Crouch and Defoe up front, Diarra in midfield and the back four that they have, they are a good team.

"No disrespect to Portsmouth – or even Southampton and West Ham – but when you look at the sums of money that Spurs have, they are one of the biggest clubs in this country.

"Harry probably wanted to manage a big club before he retires, and be competing at the other end of the table rather than the perennial survival scrap.

"But he did great for Portsmouth. He had a wonderful record there and he bought some really good players for their club."