"I had no doubts he'd be a success. He's a clever, bright lad, his work ethic is incredible, he's been brought up with the game, he'll be amazing."
Monday 18 May 2020 14:37, UK
How did Harry Redknapp help get Frank Lampard his first job in management? Harry revealed his side of the story on The Football Show...
Both Derby owner Mel Morris and Lampard himself have previously mentioned Redknapp's influence in the ex-England and Chelsea midfielder being given his first opportunity in management at Pride Park a little under two years ago.
But the man himself told Sky Sports how it wasn't the only opening he found Lampard in the summer of 2018 - and revealed just how much persuasion Morris needed before giving the man who would go onto lead the Rams to the Championship play-off final his big break.
"First off I got Frank the job at Ipswich with Marcus Evans," Redknapp recalled. "I phoned him, I said 'you need a manager, how Frank Lampard's your man', he met him, loved him, offered him the job.
"Frank said, 'Harry, they've got no budget, it's difficult, I can't bring any players in'. I said it was a great club but you've not got a magic wand, you're going to need a bit of help.
"Suddenly the Derby job became available, and I rung Mel Morris, he's got a house up the road from me. He told me he was going to go for an experienced manager, I said, 'you keep getting managers and getting rid of them, you've not been very clever at picking managers. Take Frank Lampard'.
"He said he had no experience, but I replied 'there's been lots of great managers who've had no experience - look at Graeme Souness, Kenny Dalglish, Steven Gerrard… He knows the game. He's a great professional, he understands football, he'll bring so much to the football club'.
"He thought about having him as an assistant but I said he wants to be a manager, please meet him. The next day he met him in London, they had a meeting at 7 o'clock, half past eight he rung me and said he'd blown him away. I've given him the job. And that was it.
"I had no doubts he'd be a success. He's a clever, bright lad, his work ethic is incredible, he's been brought up with the game, he'll be amazing."
Redknapp's last managerial job came at Birmingham City in 2017, but the 73-year-old is still not ready to retire - and has eyes on moving upstairs to own an English club.
"I haven't got the money to buy a big club that's for sure," he said. "I wouldn't mind getting in at a lower level, League One, League Two, National League. I'd love it, it'd be something to do for me, an interest for me.
"I'd enjoy that, get a young manager in, help him if I can on the way as well. I love watching games, I go to Bournemouth every week, that's my life now watching them play, but I would love to have an interest and I've had plenty of people on the phone already. If something came up of real interest, it's something I'd definitely consider."
Might he keep it in the family and make Jamie Redknapp his first young manager? "We can't afford him," he laughed, "our budget won't carry to that!"
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