Redknapp: Townsend's future bright

06 May 2013 10:47

Harry Redknapp believes Andros Townsend will have a bright Barclays Premier League future after proving his credentials at QPR.

Redknapp has already begun to assess the npower Championship as he bids to mastermind an immediate return to the top flight for his relegated side. The Rangers boss is planning for life without the on-loan Tottenham winger, who troubled Nacho Monreal during Arsenal's 1-0 win at Loftus Road.

"He'll be a top player," Redknapp said of the 21-year-old Townsend.

"He gets at people, he attacks you. They paid £10m for the left-back and he has ripped him apart. He is relentless. He just runs at you, runs at you, runs at you. He has been first-class.

"It's difficult for him back at Spurs. You've got (Aaron) Lennon and (Gareth) Bale there, so it will be hard for him to play regularly. He'll have his work cut out. But he'll be a good player for Spurs next year. He will go back there a better player. He has proved to himself what he can do. He has proved he can play in the Premier League."

Redknapp plans to attend as many Championship play-off matches as possible and is excited by the challenge of leading QPR back to the top flight at the first attempt.

He added: "I'm taking a big cut in wages. Money is not everything to me. I don't have to go to work, really.

"I do it because I enjoy it, I've enjoyed it here and I'd like to build a team that can get back up because I like the people here, I like the chairman (Tony Fernandes) and the fans. If I didn't have the hunger then I wouldn't come to work. I'd stay at home and play golf every day. When I've had enough that's what I will do.

"But I love it. I still love the buzz of winning. Trying to win, the ups and downs of it all. My target is to get promotion next year. That's the aim. I don't intend to stick around for four years in the Championship. I want to build a team to try to get up. It will be hard, I'm not silly enough to think it will be easy.

"It's a tough league. With a bit of luck, if I can get some players in, change things around then we'll give it a good go. But it won't be easy."

Source: PA