Birmingham City manager Harry Redknapp has said that he’d try and sign Harry Maguire if he was a GAA coach.
Redknapp recently took charge of Castlehaven in West Cork as part of AIB’s Toughest Rivalry series which will chronicle both Redknapp and Gianluca Vialli’s journeys as they take charge of two rival GAA clubs.
The former Spurs boss said that he would try bring Maguire in on deadline day if he could get him over the line and joked that a few of the Premier League players might struggle with the physicality of the GAA.
“I’m going to try and get him to Castlehaven, there would be a few of them that wouldn’t fancy it for sure (Premier League players with GAA physicality) they are big, strong boys.
“They get stuck in and get on with it. Harry Maguire would be grand in Gaelic Football, no doubt about it. A bit like Kevin Moran.”
Redknapp also likened Maguire to former Ireland captain Richard Dunne and Arsenal defender Tony Adams and predicted that Leicester City will struggle to hold onto the centre-back this summer.
“Not saying it now, it’s easy to be wise afterwards, but I’ve been a big fan of his for a few years,” added Redknapp.
“He always reminded me of Richard Dunne because you look at him and he’s not a great move, or you wouldn’t look at him and think he’s silky smooth, but he’s so effective.
“I mean I had Richard Dunne and people used to say, coaches in my dressing room, that would say ‘get it up the side of him you’d do him for pace’.
“I’ve gone ‘no you don’t do Richard Dunne for pace, he’s the quickest thing you’ve ever seen in your life. Richard Dunne was a flying machine. He was just a great big bloke and people thought he couldn’t’ run because he looked that way but he had the pace of sprinter. He was incredible.
“I think Harry Maguire has got an ungainly look about him but I think Harry Maguire you look at him and he’s not smooth but what a competitor. What a good player.
“Good in the air, good on the ball, I see Tony Adams in him as well. He’s a leader. I think Leicester are going to have an awful time trying to hang onto him. There’s going to be a lot of clubs trying to buy him.”
*Harry Redknapp, pictured today at the launch of AIB’s new series, The Toughest Rivalry. The series, airing exclusively across AIB’s social channels, stars both Redknapp and former Italian footballer and Premier League manager Gianluca Vialli.
AIB’s Toughest Rivalry series will chronicle both Redknapp and Vialli’s journeys as the two powerhouses will take charge of two rival GAA clubs. Vialli with Erin’s Isle in Dublin, and Redknapp with Castlehaven in West Cork. The two teams faced off in an infamous 1998 AIB GAA All-Ireland Club Semi-Final, where Castlehaven were defeated by a last-minute questionable goal. The controversial ending left both teams with unfinished business.
The first episode of The Toughest Rivalry will air on Friday, July 13th and every Friday, exclusively on AIB’s social channels.
For exclusive content and behind the scenes action from The Toughest Rivalry follow us @AIB_GAA on Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and AIB.ie/GAA.
