Harry Redknapp admits he could have walked away from management had QPR lost at Wembley (Picture: AFP/Getty)

Harry Redknapp has admitted he would probably have retired from management if QPR had not made an immediate return to the Premier League.

Instead, thanks to Bobby Zamora’s last-gasp play-off final winner against Derby ten days ago, the 67-year-old is relishing a return to the top flight next season.

Reflecting on a year in the Championship, Redknapp said: ‘I never lost my hunger, if I had I would have packed up. But I’m looking forward to next year, there’s a real excitement now for me.

‘If we hadn’t have gone up it would have been different. I don’t know what I’d have done, I think maybe I’d have called it a day. But, looking forward to the Premier League, I really can’t wait now.’




Redknapp expects a busy summer in the transfer market, admitting his squad needs ‘a fair bit of improving’.

Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard – two players who began their careers under Redknapp at West Ham – have been linked with Loftus Road moves, and their old mentor admits he is more likely to be shopping at home than dabbling in the inflated World Cup market.

Rio Ferdinand is available on a free transfer after leaving Manchester United (Picture: Getty)

‘I really don’t see myself getting involved [during the World Cup],’ he added. ‘If someone jumps out at you then you know every club in the country is going to be the same. It can be a mug’s game.

‘We’ve seen players before who have come in and not done well when people have bought them out of a World Cup. So, I just want to sit back on my sofa and enjoy the football.

‘QPR have been down that road before and come unstuck, bringing in an awful lot of players from abroad and who took a lot of money and weren’t really into the club and understanding what’s wanted. I think it’s important now that I look in this country as much as possible to improve the squad.

‘We’ve got a good chance to do that. We’ve got lots of players out of contract so there is room to bring some players in and that is what we’re looking to do. There’s the nucleus of a team but I’d be a liar if I sat here and said it’s ok. We need to strengthen the squad quite a bit.’

After the pain of relegation in 2013 and with fresh memories of how hard it is to get out of the Championship, Redknapp admits staying up is his sole target, with no thought given to emulating Hull’s achievement of combining a successful survival bid with a memorable cup run.

‘No, just a league run,’ he laughs. ‘Staying in the league [is the goal] you can forget the rest. Establishing the club in the Premier League is tough but that’s the aim.’

Harry Redknapp was speaking at the launch of http://www.666bet.com who are offering their first 1966 customers odds of 1966/1 for England to win the World Cup