When Glenn Hoddle brought in Jamie Redknapp on a cheap transfer before his contract ran out at Anfield, it looked a solid enough deal. However, it is turned out as many Spurs fans feared. Every so often, Jamie has suffered an injury that has kept him out for long periods, thus interrupting the flow in the team's progress.
Jamie had gone a long way around to get back to White Hart Lane, where he started as a junior, but moved to Bournemouth, as he said he was homesick and went to play for his Dad's team. Within months of a move to Dean Court, he was off to Liverpool !! There he established himself as a midfielder of vision and recognised as a pass master, spending ten years at Anfield. He became one of the "Spice Boy" gang there, who took in modelling and the finer things in life, as well as a career in football. His marriage to pop singer Louise Nurding, also brought them to the attention of the showbiz pages of the tabloids.
However, he has concentrated on his career and made the England team, but injuries disrupted his own progress and he fell out of favour for club and country, when he suffered a serious knee injury.
Hoddle obviously admired the passing ability of Redknapp and on installing him in the team, pre-season 2002-03, Spurs looked to pass the ball on the floor ... something that had not been seen for some time. Everything revolved around Jamie, much as it had around Hoddle in his heyday, but when he was missing the wheels fell off the side's game somewhat. A broken toe injury ruled him out for a huge slice of the second half of the season.
Into 2003-04, and with Sheringham packed off to Portsmouth, Jamie started the season as captain. Again things started OK, but a knee injury put paid to his presence in the team and during his absence, Hoddle was sacked.
Without doubt a useful player when fit, Jamie's legs might not have been up to the rigours of the Premiership for too much longer, although he could play a deeper midfield role for Spurs. When selected, he kept the ball moving along with good passes, but his ability to stay with the pace was an obvious drawback and saw him pick up a number of bookings, as he could not chase back.
In January 2005, after two and a half years at the club, Martin Jol allowed Jamie to leave to join Southampton on a free transfer, where his father was manager, in a vain attempt to try and keep them in the top flight.
On retiring from the game, Jamie was tipped to go into coaching with Tottenham believed to be interested in offering him a position, but he opted to be an expert summariser on Sky TV. His first job came as a member of the BBC Euro 2004 pundits panel and Jamie then became an analyst for Sky Sports. Has presented Sky TV programme “Football's Next Star” and was a team captain in Sky's sports quiz show “A League of Their Own.”
Redknapp has done a bit of coaching, starting with six semi-professional players for a 6v6 World Cup tournament in 2006, with rumours that Chelsea sounded him out to be Avram Grant's assistant in 2007, then going on to coach the reserves at Stamford Bridge for two days a week in 2008. Also took some coaching sessions with the juniors at Tottenham while studying for his coaching badges. Jamie was said to be offering advice to his Dad, who by then had taken over as manager of Tottenham Hotspur, when he phoned him during games.
Married Louise Nurding (former member of girl group Eternal and solo singer) on 29th June 1998 and they had a son Charley born 27th July 2004 and on 10th November 2008, they had a second son, Beau.