Redknapp tipped to replace Capello (From Runcorn and Widnes World)

Redknapp tipped to replace Capello

3:38am Thursday 9th February 2012 in National News © Press Association 2011

The Football Association is beginning its search for the next England manager after Fabio Capello sensationally quit the top job over the John Terry race row.

Harry Redknapp is being hotly tipped to take over from the Italian, who resigned on Wednesday night after publicly challenging the FA's decision to strip Terry of the team's captaincy.

Capello's shock decision to step down from his £6 million-a-year post was made at almost exactly the same time the Tottenham Hotspur boss walked free from London's Southwark Crown Court, where he was acquitted of tax fraud.

Londoner Redknapp, who is the bookmakers' favourite to become the next national coach, has yet to say whether he would take the job. Bookmaker William Hill slashed Redknapp's odds to 8/15 to take over the nation's team in time for the first Euro 2012 match against France, while Coral stopped taking wagers on the bet.

Capello's resignation was announced after crisis talks with FA chairman David Bernstein and general secretary Alex Horne at Wembley. He had been enraged after the FA went over his head to strip Terry of the captaincy until after his July court case where he will deny racially abusing QPR's Anton Ferdinand.

Capello told Italian TV that he "absolutely" disagreed with the action against the Chelsea defender and that set him on a collision course with the FA.

David Davies, the former executive director of the FA, backed Redknapp to become the new England manager saying he had public support.

Speaking during a visit to Sweden, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I am sorry to see Fabio go. I think he was a good coach and a good man. I don't think he was right about the John Terry issue. You can't be captain with that question mark that needs to be answered.

"England now needs a new coach and a new captain and I hope we can get on with that and make the best of the opportunity this summer."

Spurs non-executive director Sir Keith Mills said it was "not a foregone conclusion" that Redknapp would be approached by the FA. "If he is then clearly Harry has a big decision to make," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "I know he loves the club, he's managing a top three team in the biggest league in the world."