England team advised to stay away from Pep Guardiola

Former manager Harry Redknapp has warned the Football Association (FA) not to pursue Pep Guardiola for the role of national team head coach in the future.

According to the 79-year-old manager, expecting the Spanish tactician to instantly bring success to the "Three Lions" is an unrealistic notion, and it could also cause the FA to overlook the fundamental issues of English football.

Redknapp stated that he fully acknowledges Guardiola's talent but stressed that success at club level cannot be perfectly replicated for the national team. "Everyone thinks Pep is like a magic wand in football. He is a tactical genius, no doubt about that. But you can't bring Pep to the England team and simply assume that trophies will come on their own," Redknapp said.

According to the former West Ham and Tottenham boss, the biggest difference is that national team coaches cannot buy players. He analyzed: "At club level, if Pep needs a defender who can move into the center, he just buys a £70 million player. But with the national team, there's no transfer market. You only have what your country produces."

Instead of looking for a high-profile coach, Redknapp believes the FA should continue to trust Thomas Tuchel, who recently led England to a third-place finish at the 2026 World Cup. He noted that the "Three Lions" currently have a squad capable of competing for major titles, but the real concern lies in the youth development system.

Redknapp cited Italy as a warning, a four-time world champion that endured a long crisis due to a lack of emerging talent. "Italy is a real warning for us. A football powerhouse repeatedly missing the World Cup is unacceptable. If we're not careful, England is quietly heading down the same path," he stated.

To prevent this risk, Redknapp called on the Premier League to introduce regulations forcing clubs to use more English players instead of constantly signing foreign ones. According to him, young talents not being given opportunities will directly impact the strength of the national team in the future.

Additionally, Redknapp still holds the traditional view that the England team should be led by an English manager, mentioning names such as Eddie Howe, Frank Lampard, and Steven Gerrard. However, he believes that for now, the FA should focus on supporting the current manager. "Forget about pursuing Pep. Give Tuchel full support and fix the youth training system before we also end up watching the World Cup from home like the Italians have experienced," Redknapp emphasized.