Harry Redknapp open to extending Birmingham role after survival

London: Harry Redknapp has said he is interested in taking charge of Birmingham as a full-time manager after holding initial talks with the club owners over his role next season.

Representatives of the club’s Chinese owners, Trillion Trophy Asia, will hold further talks with the 70-year-old manager after he led the club to Championship survival with a 1-0 victory over Bristol City last weekend.

“I’m interested in staying but there is a lot of work to be done,” Redknapp told the BBC. “It’s a tough division when you look at the teams in that league now but I’ve been really impressed with the club and the people there.

“I’ve had a chat with the owners and met them for the first time and I had a really interesting meeting.

“I’m not playing hardball with anybody… I’m going to have another couple of meetings with them and we’ll see where we’re going.”

Redknapp, who at 70 is the oldest manager in English football, was last month appointed to the role until the end of the season as a replacement for Gianfranco Zola.