Uefa to take no action over Redknapp 'gesture'

HARRY REDKNAPP will not be charged with any disciplinary offences arising our of his gesture to Shamrock Rovers supporters on…

HARRY REDKNAPP will not be charged with any disciplinary offences arising our of his gesture to Shamrock Rovers supporters on Thursday in Tallaght where he was repeatedly taunted by sections of the crowd regarding his impending trial on charges of cheating the public revenue.

“We can inform you that nothing was mentioned in the official reports about this and Uefa have not opened any disciplinary proceedings at this match,” a spokesman for the Europa League’s organisers said yesterday.

The Tottenham manager had not denied making a gesture when asked about it immediately after the game, which Spurs won 4-0, but shrugged off the significance of the incident.

When the subject came up again yesterday at Tottenham’s press conference ahead of this weekend’s Premier league game against Sunderland Redknapp declined to go any further. “I can’t repeat what they were saying,” he said. “I am not allowed to repeat what they were saying to me. But I didn’t do anything to them, no.”

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Elsewhere, Republic of Ireland midfielder Keith Andrews will be called back to Blackburn for talks with manager Steve Keen before any decision is made regarding his future beyond January when his loan spell at Ipswich is due to expire.

There has been growing interest in the Dubliner in recent weeks due to his form with the Championship outfit for whom he has scored eight times in 18 appearances.

A number of clubs, including Wigan Athletic and Leeds United, have been linked with potential moves for him during the January window with Ipswich manager Paul Jewell admitting he will be difficult to hold on to due to his high wages, reported to be in the region of €28,000 per week. “He’s under contract with us so we’ll bring him in with his agent,” said Keen yesterday. “We’ll have a chat with him and first of all ask the player where he wants to play his football and we will take it from there.”

Andrews said last month while back in Dublin on international duty he would prefer not to return to Blackburn in large part, he suggested, because the manager had previously told him he could not play him because it would be unpopular with the fans.

Hull City have said they will allow fit-again Paul McShane to leave the club in January if he has not broken into the team at that stage and believes a move would boost his chances of featuring for Ireland at the European Championships next summer.

James McClean is hoping to build on his impressive Sunderland debut over the coming weeks. “It’s only one game, I’m taking nothing for granted and I’ll keep working hard,” the former Derry City winger says. “I’ll try to improve and if the manager calls me I want to repay his faith.”

Emmet Malone

Emmet Malone

Emmet Malone is Work Correspondent at The Irish Times