Harry Redknapp should lead England, says Joe Cole

After playing under three England managers, Lille midfielder Joe Cole knows a thing or two about who should lead the national team.

And the star – capped 56 times for his country – is putting his weight behind Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp after the shock resignation of Fabio Capello.

Redknapp gave Cole, a patron of Richard House Children’s Hospice in Beckton, his West Ham debut in 1998 before moving on to manage Southampton and Portsmouth twice.

His recent court appearance for tax evasion had threatened to scupper his chances of managing his country but with that now out of the way, London-born Cole is calling for him to be appointed.

Speaking at Richard House, Cole said: “Harry Redknapp is the punters’ choice to be the next England manager and I sincerely hope he gets the job because he deserves it.

“He’s a great manager. He’s come up the hard way through the ranks and had every kind of team and every kind of player under his wing.

“He has seen everything that can be thrown at you as a club manager and is certainly the right age to take charge.”

Although still on the books at Liverpool, 30-year-old Cole is enjoying something of an Indian summer on loan at French club Lille.

And the footy star says he still hasn’t given up hope of winning his place back in the England set up.

Cole said: “I would love to play for England again because I hate watching it on TV.

“I will just see how it goes in France but if the call came I would love to play again.”