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Harry Redknapp is everybody's favourite next England manager. He has worked wonders at Tottenham, leading them from bottom of the Premier League to title contenders in the space of three years. He has been cleared of allegations of tax evasion, he is personable and, above all, he is English. These are just some of the reasons the 64-year-old is 1.43 to continue where Fabio Capello left off. But avoid those odds like the plague.

Much like the Wolves job, or being the successor to José Mourinho, becoming England manager is the definitive hiding to nothing. Admittedly, it is not without its kudos; the role is a particularly well-remunerated position and it must be immensely flattering to be called to answer the call of leading your country into battle.

Redknapp, after all, is a patriot. He hails from the generation that can remember what it was like to watch England win the World Cup and who grew up playing football at West Ham with Bobby Moore. He, more than most, understands what it means to be considered for the position that was once deemed to be the ultimate job in football, and he must be bursting with pride just at the thought of being the chosen one. But when he mulls it all over on those long daily commutes between his south-coast home and north London, there is really only one decision to make: he has to stay at Tottenham.

When he took over in October 2008, Spurs were marooned at the foot of the Premier League table and contemplating a relegation dogfight. The fact that they are now rubbing shoulders with Europe's finest is little short of a managerial miracle. To give it up now, would be to pass up everything Redknapp has worked for. He would be surrendering another campaign of glory nights in Europe, the chance to pit his wits against the likes of Inter Milan and Real Madrid and the thrill of signing world-beating players from overseas.

Spurs are also about to move into new, state-of-the-art, £45m training complex this summer on the back of Redknapp's success. To leave would mean spurning the spoils of success; there would be no more day-to-day involvement on the training ground, no more planning for the weekend, no more north London derbies.

Tottenham have probably left themselves with too much to do to win the title this season, as odds of [30] would suggest but if they keep progressing at their current rate, they may well do so soon. They have emerged from the shadow of Arsenal as London's leading club and are probably the most exciting club to watch in the English top-flight. Unsurprisingly, Spurs are reportedly offering their manager a new deal.

But they needn't bother. Why on earth would anyone give all that up? So as to go on bi-monthly slogs around Europe leading an average international side possessing zero prospects of silverware into meaningless matches against Moldova, Montenegro and San Marino? So as to be hounded over his selection decisions by a remorseless press hell-bent on destroying a reputation he has spent years of hard graft in creating? So as to end up, at the age of 68, having to take a job at FC Twente or Notts County or Radio Five Live when he could have been writing his name into Spurs folklore by becoming the first manager to lift the Champions League with Spurs? Seriously, it's a no-brainer.

It would, of course, be wonderful to see Redknapp take charge of England. International football is effectively meaningless if the teams involved hire foreigners to plot their course, and as a passionate Englishman 'Arry would breathe new life into a very stale scene. The FA are absolutely right to go for Redknapp, but 'Arry would be stark, raving mad to go for them.

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