Harry Redknapp probably has his best side to date at Tottenham Hotspur, much more superior than the team that took them into the Champions League two seasons ago anyway. Spurs are flying, having won four out of their last five Premier League games – including a 4-0 win over Liverpool and a 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the north London derby. They sit in sixth place in the table, with a game in hand, and could easily mount a serious challenge for fourth place, if not higher. This is an unprecedented and exciting era for the club and their fans, so does their manager really want to leave his job and take up the role of England manager, the hardest job in the country? If he does go for it, and gets it wrong, it will be very tough for him to get back to the top, as McClaren and Eriksson have shown.

The general consensus is that Redknapp is the overwhelming favourite to take over from Fabio Capello when he steps down after the Euro’s next summer. Arsène Wenger, Alan Shearer and Alan Pardew are just some of the top names that have backed him, as well various high-ranking FA officials making it no secret of the fact they want to appoint an English manager. Redknapp is undoubtedly a fantastic manager. Spurs have consistently improved with him in charge and securing qualification for the Champions League two seasons ago was a massive achievement for the club. Furthermore, his progression up the managerial ladder from humble beginnings at Bournemouth means he is not an ex-pro who was automatically given a high-profile job to start his career. He has proved that he has raw talent as a manager, spending seven years at West Ham and taking the reins at Portsmouth, twice, and Southampton.

However, Redknapp’s managerial career has been solely club-based. A job in international management is a big change from the fast-paced domestic scene where he has been based for the past thirty years. Would he want to leave his club, who are looking more and more dangerous in the Premier League and rapidly becoming one of the top clubs in Europe? Redknapp must feel as if there is still a lot more he can do at Tottenham. He could bring much more success to Spurs with time. If Tottenham continue to improve, Redknapp wouldn’t want to swap his current job, for the slower-paced role of England manager, watching the Premier League from the stands. I just don’t see it happening. He is a manager that thrives off week-in week-out competition. England fans and the media have such high expectations from the national side, and I don’t think Redknapp would want to put himself in the firing line.

The current Tottenham manager has established himself as one of the country’s greatest managers, but he is yet to get to the top of his managerial career. He has the potential to win trophies at Spurs, especially with the current team he has there. Redknapp is yet to finish his job at the north London club. There are still challenges awaiting him and it will take more than a year to complete them, which he will want to do. How Tottenham get on this season – combined with England’s performance at Euro 2012 – will be what determines Redknapp’s decision, but we may well see a surprise face at the end of next summer taking over from Fabio Capello.