No chance: Fuming Redknapp blames police raid for shattering his England dream

Portsmouth manager Redknapp, who yesterday attacked the methods of City of London officers probing corruption in football, confided in friends that his hopes of taking charge of the national team have now ended.

Redknapp faces the media after being released

He claimed he is a high-profile scapegoat, hauled in for questioning to give the police operation an air of celebrity.

'I add a bit of profile to the investigation because, to be honest, it has nothing to do with me,' said Redknapp in a public statement.

In private, he admitted he was devastated and questioned the timing of his arrest, which came just as he was gaining support for the England job.

Sol Campbell, Glenn Hoddle, Avram Grant and Paul Jewell are among those who have publicly backed Redknapp to succeed Steve McClaren.

A friend said: 'Harry accepts that this has all but ended any hopes of the England job, even though he has done nothing wrong.'

Further arrests are expected, with at least one well-known football personality thought to be under scrutiny.

Redknapp, returning from a scouting mission in Germany when police raided his home in Poole, said their questions had all been about an agent who had passed on part of his own fee to a player.

He added: 'I was particularly disappointed that the police should come knocking on my door at 6am with photographers from a newspaper. My wife was on her own and was absolutely petrified.

'They searched the house and if you tell me that is the way to treat anybody, well I'm afraid that was not the type of society I was brought up in.'

Redknapp was one of five men arrested and questioned on Wednesday. The others were Portsmouth's chief executive Peter Storrie, the club's former owner Milan Mandaric, former Pompey midfielder Amdy Faye and agent Willie McKay.

Mandaric, now chairman of Leicester, said: 'I am confident the truth will prevail and we will not be charged. We will do all we can to co-operate. We have nothing to hide.'