Harry Redknapp Filmed Saying Former Players Bet on Match

Former Premier League manager Harry Redknapp has become the latest figure to be implicated in the Telegraph's investigation into corruption in English football, as he was caught on video saying his players bet on one of their own matches. 

Per the Telegraph, Redknapp met with undercover reporters on July 6, telling them his players “all had a spread bet” on the result of the match.

Under Football Association regulations, players are not allowed to bet on matches they take part in, and managers are to raise the matter with the FA as soon as they find out. Redknapp is not believed to have done so.

Jordan Pix/Getty Images

Redknapp said his players bet they would win the contest and he was unclear of the regulations. When told by the Telegraph his players couldn't bet on matches, he said: “Oh would it? Oh, OK. But not at that time I don’t think it was, was it? They weren’t betting on the other team, they were having a bet on their own team.”

When asked about the allegations, he said: “Who gives a s--t about that?”

Football365's Daniel Storey reacted to the news in tongue-in-cheek fashion:

Details of the match in question or the teams and players involved have not been made public. Redknapp managed Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth, Southampton, West Ham United, Bournemouth and Queens Park Rangers during his time in England, before taking the job as manager of Jordan's national team.

His lawyers specified Redknapp was not aware of his players betting on the match at the time, and the Telegraph added there is "no suggestion of any criminality on Redknapp’s part."

The Guardian's Sid Lowe wouldn't make too big of a deal of this latest revelation:

Redknapp was also asked about third-party ownership of players, an issue that has been at the core of the Telegraph's investigation. As the Guardian's Matthew Weaver reported, Sam Allardyce made headlines for advising undercover investigators on how to circumvent regulations that outlaw the practice.

He later left his role as England manager by mutual consent, per the Independent's Ian Herbert. 

Asked if he could help a fictitious Far East firm bring players under third-party ownership into England, Redknapp said:

"

Yeah, absolutely, any way I could help, you know. Listen I put my money where my mouth is and all you know, if you, if you’re gonna buy players, now, if I’m involved in picking the players then I don’t mind having an investment and having a little bit of a, you know, not a thing obviously but you know, I’d put a few quid in and take a chance with you. I need something to do with my money as well, don’t I? Can’t be fairer than that can you?

"

He also wondered why the FA objects to third-party ownership but later told the Telegraph he has no intention of getting involved in such dealings.