Harry Redknapp has backed Rio Ferdinand to become manager of West Ham. Redknapp spent seven years in charge at the Hammers and brought Ferdinand through the youth ranks before giving him his professional debut in 1996. Later in their careers the two linked up again when Redknapp signed Ferdinand for QPR after the player’s contract with Manchester United expired.
West Ham are currently without a manager after they announced Sam Allardyce’s contract would not be renewed and Redknapp, writing on kicca.com, said: “Rio Ferdinand’s doing his coaching badges and has got a great football brain. He always had good ideas and read the game well.
“I’d like to see him as manager of West Ham. I’d go with him as director of football – that would be a good partnership. I’d love to see him get the opportunity somewhere, he’s young and enthusiastic.
Ferdinand, who announced his retirement from playing at the age of 36 last month having been released from QPR following the club’s relegation, thanked Redknapp in his farewell statement, and spoke warmly of the staff who worked with him during his time at West Ham.
“Starting a career, every young man needs mentors,” he said. “I found mine in Dave Goodwin, the district manager at Blackheath, and Tony Carr, the youth team manager at West Ham. They installed in me personality traits that lasted throughout my career. I will always be grateful to them.”
Redknapp also suggested the former West Ham forward Paolo Di Canio, whose last managerial role was at Sunderland in 2013, could be an option. “I’m a Di Canio fan,” he said. “I’d like to see him go back to West Ham. I know everybody’s slaughtered him but he was fantastic at Swindon.”
Meanwhile, the former Hammers manager made his debut on Twitter on Monday and in his second tweet offered a belated riposte to the fan who attacked the manager’s backing of Frank Lampard at an event in 1996. The fan said Lampard, then aged 18, didn’t warrant the publicity he was receiving and “I don’t think he’s quite good enough yet.”
“That West Ham fan was right,” said Redknapp, in his second tweet on the social media site. “Frank Lampard was no good as a player after all.”
