Harry Redknapp hits out at 'wasteful' tax probe

Tom Collomosse
5 Oct 2009

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has criticised the Revenue and Customs investigation into his financial affairs, claiming the probe has cost millions of pounds of taxpayers' money.

Redknapp, along with Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie and former Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric, are still under investigation after they were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and false accounting in November 2007. All three deny any wrongdoing.

Redknapp was unhappy with the initial City of London Police raid on his home and thinks the investigation would have been over long ago had he not been a well-known figure.

He said: "They won't let it go even though I've got nothing to hide.

"And you know why? Because it's me. It's a matter of around £10,000 in tax they think I owe which is in dispute."

Reports over the weekend claimed Redknapp is to be interviewed again by HMRC officials, and the Spurs boss told the Sun: "I'm sick of it. They have wasted however many millions of pounds of taxpayers' money and this is all they have to show for it. I've paid £10m in income tax over the past 10 years and this is what it's come down to."

Revenue officials are believed to be looking into Peter Crouch's move from Portsmouth to Aston Villa seven years ago.

The striker started the 2-2 draw at Bolton and hopes his defensive skills can help his claims for an England place. Crouch, who has been called up for Fabio Capello's squad for the games against Ukraine and Belarus, was watched by the Italian at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday.

Crouch set up a goal and also hit the bar but was equally important in his own penalty area.

The 28-year-old said: "It was a difficult environment but I am sure Fabio would have appreciated that half my work was on the defensive side.

"It is not always easy to influence the game at the other end of the pitch when you come to the Reebok.

"Hopefully, I have done enough to stay in his thoughts but there is a real bundle going on for England places."