Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has quashed talk that assistant Joe Jordan racially provoked Gennaro Gattuso.
Spurs boss denies that assistant provoked Gattuso
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has quashed talk that assistant Joe Jordan racially provoked Gennaro Gattuso during Tuesday's UEFA Champions League clash with AC Milan.
Gattuso, 33, grabbed the Spurs No.2 by the throat and head-butted him after the final whistle in the San Siro, as the North Londoners earned a famous 1-0 victory in the first leg of their last-16 clash.
The combative midfielder's agent Claudio Pasqualin claims Jordan, who had a spell at Milan as a player, was guilty of 'disgusting' insults, but Redknapp strongly refutes this.
"This is a case of someone playing the race card, trying to deflect from what happened. Joe is not, and never has been, a racist," he said in
The Sun.
"There is no chance of Joe saying that. He has the utmost respect for Italy and their people.
"Italians are among his close friends, he speaks the language and is a great admirer of their way of life.
"Joe never said anything. Why anyone would come out with this, after Gattuso has apologised and called his own behaviour inexcusable, is beyond me."
Spurs must now prepare for the return leg against the Rossoneri at White Hart Lane on 9th March.
Gattusso will be banned for that clash after picking up a booking on Tuesday, but the Italian is likely to face a further suspension from Uefa following the ugly scenes.
Redknapp added: "I am not about to start banging on about if or for how long Gattuso should be banned.
"That is not my job and best left to the officials at Uefa who deal with these things. I am sure they will make the right decision."
The Tottenham boss admits that he has long been an admirer of Gattuso, and revealed that he considered bringing him to the Premier League last year.
"I will admit that Gattuso was a player I considered signing last summer," he remarked.
"Gattuso was offered to Tottenham by an agent. I had even managed him before in a big charity game, when I was in charge of a European All Star XI against the Rest of the World one summer.
"Gattuso was fantastic in the dressing room and, because of being his 'manager' on that night against the Rest of the World, I gave it serious thought. But it never quite worked out."
