World Cup 2010: Redknapp backing England to shine

Watches the World Cup 2010: Redknapp backing England to shine


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World Cup 2010: Redknapp backing England to shine


Defoe puts England ahead against Slovenia

Tottenham manager and BBC pundit Harry Redknapp has five players in England's World Cup squad - Jermain Defoe, Aaron Lennon, Peter Crouch, Ledley King and Michael Dawson.
Here, he tells BBC Sport why Defoe can help England progress in the tournament, gives his theory why Lennon is yet to shine and explains why he thinks England will beat Germany to reach the quarter-finals.
I was surprised to see England coach Fabio Capello pick Jermain Defoe to play up front with Wayne Rooney in their final World Cup Group C game against Slovenia - but it was not a shock for me to see Defoe get the winner.

Redknapp has managed Defoe at West Ham, Portsmouth and Tottenham
I did not think Jermain would start because he and Wayne Rooney have not done well up front together in the past. I actually thought Capello would go with Peter Crouch and Rooney, but the manager got it right.
Apart from his goal, I do not think we saw that much of Jermain but that does not matter if he keeps finding the net. He is not going to do a lot in the build-up and he is not going to hold the ball up for you either but give him a chance and he will score.
He only needed one opportunity on Wednesday. He made a great run to get on the end of a super cross from James Milner and did what he has been doing since I signed him for West Ham as a 16-year-old. He was finishing like that week in, week out even then. That was him at his best.


Can Jermain be England's hero again in their second-round match against Germany on Sunday? Yes. He is a fantastic finisher, a goalscorer and a predator - the best we have got.
I am delighted for him. I have not spoken to him yet since the Slovenia game but I will call him ahead of Sunday to say 'well done' and 'good luck'.
It is nice to see so many players I know involved for England. As well as the Tottenham lads, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Michael Carrick - all three of whom I had as young players at West Ham - are in South Africa. For them to be at a World Cup is fantastic.
Cole has not really featured yet while Carrick, like Ledley King, has been injured.
Because of his knee problems, Ledley is more susceptible to knocks but I do not think it was a mistake by Capello to take him. He coped well with a busy period for Spurs at the end of last season and I thought he would get through this World Cup, too. He has just been unlucky with the groin injury he has picked up.
Aaron Lennon, another of my Tottenham players, is not having a great tournament and I'm not sure why. Like Rooney, he had an injury at the end of last season and has not really hit form since coming back.

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