Harry Redknapp has labelled new England boss Thomas Tuchel “a German spy” and appeared to perform a Nazi salute when speaking at a charity event.
Tuchel, who was born in the Bavarian town of Krumbach, was appointed as Three Lions head coach in October last year and oversaw his first two games during this international break, guiding England to victories over Albania and Latvia.
Speaking last week before those games, Redknapp was asked his thoughts on Tuchel’s appointment and told an event in London: “I’ll be honest with you, I think he’s a German spy. I’m telling you.”
Redknapp then compared him to William Joyce, better known as Lord Haw-Haw, who found fame for broadcasting Nazi propaganda to the United Kingdom during the Second World War.
He added in a video clip obtained by the Guardian: “Seriously, he’s been sent over to f*** us up. He has. I’m telling ya, he’s like Lord Haw-Haw in the war – ‘We have your best soldiers captured’ and all that.”
At that point, he lifted his left arm and appeared to do a Nazi salute.
0 – Harry Redknapp never named a single German player in any of his 641 Premier League starting XI's as a manager. Spies.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 28, 2025
Redknapp wanted an Englishman rather than German Tuchel
Redknapp has long advocated an Englishman being in charge of the national team and was unimpressed when Tuchel was appointed.
He told Sky Sports in October: “It’s not like he’s been a massive success. He’s come and gone at a couple of clubs.
“I’m very patriotic, I think we should have an English manager but obviously the field was very small to choose from.
“Englishmen don’t get many chances to manage in the Premier League now. It’s all foreign owners and it’s always got to be a foreign manager. We’ve only got two or three managers in the Premier League who are English.”
Prior to Eddie Howe winning the EFL Cup with Newcastle earlier this month, Redknapp, 78, was the last Englishman to claim a trophy in this country after leading Portsmouth to the FA Cup in 2008.
