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Harry Redknapp finally has a major trophy to show for his 25 years of coaching. Redknapp’s Portsmouth side beat Cardiff 1-0 yesterday to win the FA Cup for the first time since 1939.
It brought a thrilling ending to an emotional season for Redknapp, following his highly publicised arrest in a corruption probe and the death of his sister-in-law.
“Fantastic, for everybody, especially my family,” Redknapp said. “The fans, the players. It’s been a difficult year off the field so this is a dream come true. We’re a very close family – it’s for all my grandchildren and everybody. The players are all great, I love them all.”
One of the most forthright and colourful figures in English soccer, Redknapp has spent most of his management career gaining promotion or avoiding relegation with Bournemouth, West Ham, Portsmouth and Southampton.
This is his first cup or league title after going through his playing career with West Ham and Bournemouth without winning a trophy.
Redknapp has transformed Portsmouth after returning to the club in December 2005, leading Pompey to an eighth-place finish in the Premier League this season while eliminating Manchester United en route to the final.
Now Portsmouth has qualified for Europe for the first time.
“Harry’s a legend now isn’t he? Hats off to him,” Portsmouth goalkeeper David James said.
James is one of several veterans brought by Redknapp who have thrived at the club. Others include defender Sol Campbell and striker Nwankwo Kanu, who scored the winning goal in the 37th minute.
“Portsmouth is not one of the four big clubs, no one could believe we were going to do it and we did it,” Kanu said.
The crowd of 89,874 gave its biggest cheer for Redknapp when he lifted the trophy above his head in the Royal Box and kissed it.
It’s been a tough season off the field for Redknapp. In November, police conducted an early morning raid on his house in relation to an investigation into corruption in player transfer dealings.
Redknapp was away during the raid, where police were accompanied by newspaper photographers, but he was arrested and questioned when he returned before being released on bail.
He angrily denied any wrongdoing and launched a court action in April against police for their behaviour. Redknapp has also said the raid hampered his chances of becoming manager of the England national team.
Last month, Sandra Redknapp’s twin sister Pat Lampard died of pneumonia. Lampard was the mother of Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard, whose father Frank Lampard Sr. was also a professional soccer player with West Ham.
“Like everybody in life, you go through tough times,” Redknapp said. “It was important today we got the result and it’s a good day.”
Lampard Sr. played on the West Ham team that upset Arsenal in the 1980 FA Cup final – the last team outside the top division to win the trophy.
Redknapp’s soccer links extend further – his son Jamie Redknapp played for England, Liverpool and Tottenham and is now a television pundit.
There would be no late night revelling for Redknapp, who said he’d rather have a quiet dinner at his local Italian restaurant in Bournemouth with his wife, then check on his dogs. And prepare for Portsmouth’s victory parade on Thursday.
“When I kept Portsmouth up when I went back there a couple of years ago it was a much bigger achievement,” Redknapp said. “Today it’s a glory day. It’s great to come to Wembley and win the FA Cup.”
FA Cup winners since the competition began in 1871-72 (number of times won):
11 – Manchester United
10 – Arsenal
8 – Tottenham Hotspur
7 – Aston Villa, Liverpool
6 – Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United
5 – Everton, The Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion
4 – Bolton Wanderers, Manchester City, Sheffield United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Chelsea
3 – Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham United
2 – Bury, Nottingham Forest, Old Etonians, Preston North End, Sunderland, Portsmouth
1 – Barnsley, Blackburn Olympic, Blackpool, Bradford City, Burnley, Cardiff City, Charlton Athletic, Clapham Rovers, Coventry City, Derby County, Huddersfield Town, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Notts County, Old Carthusians, Oxford University, Royal Engineers, Southampton, Wimbledon
Video of the winning goal
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