Redknapp wants to give more back to community

Harry Redknapp would love to give more back to the Tottenham community as his side look to close in on the Barclays Premier League leaders with victory over Everton tonight.

Spurs could move level with second-placed Manchester United and just three behind Manchester City if they win the game in hand, which was rearranged from the opening day of the new season on 13 August following civil unrest which had started just yards from White Hart Lane after peaceful protests about the police killing of 29-year-old local man Mark Duggan and then swept across the country.

Like all clubs, Tottenham have a strong sense of community spirit. Redknapp, 64, grew up in London’s East End, and the former West Ham manager feels the modern game can learn lessons from the past.

He said: “Hopefully we can still keep doing things in the community, all football clubs really.

“I think we should be getting back into the schools in the afternoons with the kids.

“I would like to see the players do it, and I would certainly do it, spend a couple of hours there.

“When I was at West Ham, [manager] Ron Greenwood got us all coaching the kids in the schools, we used to do four or five afternoons a week in Canning Town and West Ham.

“We all loved it and that is how we all got into coaching really.

“The players would do it and it would be great for the kids, to bring them something to look forward to.

“I went to a rough old school, but the highlight of our week was having Clive Allen’s dad, Les, coming in to take us for football.”

Redknapp added: “Most footballers have come from working-class backgrounds, the inner cities, it is where they all grew up so to put something back into it would not be a problem.”

Tottenham look set to be without Scott Parker again as the midfielder struggles with a knee problem which has sidelined him since Hogmanay.

Midfielder Seamus Coleman is Everton’s latest injury doubt ahead of the trip to a ground where they have only lost one in the last five.

The Irishman limped out of the FA Cup victory over Tamworth to join the growing ranks of injured players.

Phil Jagielka (knee), Leon Osman (foot), Jack Rodwell (hamstring), Tony Hibbert (groin), Tim Cahill (groin) and Ross Barkley (knee) were absent on Saturday and all six are likely to be missing again.