London: One of the most remarkable weeks in the life of Harry Redknapp ended on a high when his entertaining Tottenham Hotspur side crushed Newcastle United 5-0 in the Premier League Saturday.
Redknapp, widely tipped by the media to be the next England manager, sat in the dugout after a rousing reception from the fans to watch his team make a blistering start with two goals in the first six minutes and they were 4-0 ahead by halftime.
Emmanuel Adebayor epitomised the home side`s determination with a hand in all four first-half goals before scoring a spectacular volley of his own to give Spurs their biggest league win of the season and consolidate third place in the table.
The supporters, faced with the prospect of losing their manager to England, let their feelings be known.
On a night of freezing temperatures at White Hart Lane, they repeatedly chanted Redknapp`s name, singing "We want you to stay" at the 64-year-old coach who has transformed Spurs from relegation candidates to title contenders in three years.
He applauded the crowd after his own personal emotional roller-coaster, which saw him cleared Wednesday of two charges of evading tax after a 13-day trial before being installed as favourite to replace Fabio Capello as England boss.
Redknapp said again that as far as he knew the FA had not approached his chairman Daniel Levy about the job and he was totally focused on Spurs who are on track for a place in next season`s Champions League, if not their first title since 1961.
They now have 53 points, five behind leaders Manchester United and four off Manchester City, who play Sunday.
"It was difficult to prepare for this game," Redknapp told reporters. "It was the most difficult week I`ve ever had.
"I wouldn`t want to put anybody through what I`ve been through, for sure... what it did to me and what it has done to my family, well that was worse.
"But it`s behind us now and the week has turned out well. We`ve had a win so it has turned out a good week in the end."
Spurs went ahead after only four minutes with a goal from defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto before new signing Louis Saha scored twice on his home debut to make it 3-0 after 20 minutes.
Niko Kranjcar scored his first goal of the season in the 34th following more good work by Adebayor who ended a nine-match run without a goal after 65 minutes.
Redknapp praised the fans saying: "They have been brilliant with me. They were fantastic at our last game against Wigan, and they were great today. I appreciate their support I really do.
"I am totally focused on what I am doing here. It would not be fair on Tottenham, the players or the crowd, if I wasn`t.
"We want Champions League football again. We have a 10 point lead over Arsenal and Chelsea and I look at the gap between us and them and want to keep it. I look at the gap at the top too, but I`m looking at Arsenal and Chelsea.
Newcastle`s Alan Pardew, one of the many managers who have backed Redknapp for the England job, said his side faced unusually passionate and committed opposition.
"They wanted to show they want their manager to stay and I think that was evident. Tottenham were irresistible today. Some of the stuff they were doing was almost coming off for fun."
Bureau Report
First Published: Sunday, February 12, 2012, 09:35