Harry Redknapp is looking forward to leading Queens Park Rangers back to the Premier League.
The former Tottenham Hotspur boss was installed as Mark Hughes’ successor back in November, after the Hoops had failed to win any of their opening 12 matches. Just last season they avoided the drop on the final day of the campaign, and the early signs of this term indicated another struggle was in store for the Loftus Road club.
Redknapp, who was a frontrunner to replace Fabio Capello as England coach after leading Spurs to two top-four finishes in three years, was unable to ignite a survival bid, despite the promise which followed a shock win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in January and successive triumphs against Southampton and Sunderland last month.
A goalless draw at Reading on Sunday sealed the fate of both clubs, who will now meet again in the Championship next season. There had been suggestions that Redknapp would quit the Londoners and seek an instant return to the Premier League without them during the summer weeks, but the 66-year-old insists such a thought has never entered his head.
Instead, Redknapp is plotting an instant return for QPR.
“I signed a contract here with the owner and everybody else, and they couldn’t be nicer people,” he told Sky Sports. “It’s not entered my mind to leave. I concentrated on trying to keep the team in the division, but it’s not been possible and we’ve fallen a bit short. We’ll try again next year to get back in the Premier League which is where we want to be.
“We’re positive and looking forward to now building a team in the summer to give us a chance to get promoted next year. It’s a big challenge, but an exciting challenge and one I’m looking forward to. There are a lot of good teams in that league. It won’t be easy, but that’s where we are next year and we’ve got to do our best to get out of it.”
