Source: Daily_Mail
Redknapp's rage: Spurs manager hits out at £40,000 tax evasion charges
Harry Redknapp insists he remains fully focused on steering Tottenham into the Champions League after being accused yesterday of a £40,000 tax evasion. Redknapp slammed the charges, which are the result of a 26-month police and tax inquiry into alleged corruption in football, as 'farcical' and is adamant he has done nothing wrong.Harry Redknapp arrives at the Spurs training ground on the day he was charged with tax offences'This is not a football-related matter so I have no intention of letting it distract me at all from what I am doing and intend to do at the club,' he said. 'This all dates back to 2002, so it has been going on far too long. It is farcical. I have issued a statement. I know I have done nothing wrong, I've been saying it for a long time,but the matter is in the hands of solicitors so I have nothing more tosay about this.' R edknapp voluntarily attended Bishopsgate police station in London to becharged by police and will appear at the City of WestminsterMagistrates' Court on February 11. The charges concern two payments totalling $295,000 (about £181,000) from former Portsmouth owner Milan Mandaric to Redknapp via a bank account in Monaco, evading the tax and national insurancecontributions due between April 1, 2002 and November 28, 2007. Sportsmail revealed this week that Redknapp has assembled a formidablelegal team led by top lawyer Ian Burton and QC John Kelsey-Fry. Burton said: 'Harry has co-operated fully with investigators during the course of this inquiry and is confident of a successful outcome to these court proceedings.' Charged: Milan Mandaric is now chairman of Championship side Leicester A Tottenham spokesman reiterated last night that the charges will notaffect Redknapp's job and that he retains the full support of the club. Mandaric, 71, now chairman of Leicester, was charged with tax evasion on Tuesday and has also been ordered to appear in court on February 11. On the playing side, Redknapp is considering taking Younes Kaboul back to Spurs from Portsmouth. R edknapp was Pompey boss in August 2008 when Kaboul left White Hart Lanefor Fratton Park for £5million but money is still owed on the transfer.Spurs are also owed money from the £4.5m sale of Kevin-Prince Boatengin August but the debts would be more than offset by the return ofKaboul, valued by Portsmouth at £14m.Charged:Peter Storrie (above) faces court over a charge relatingto a payment allegedly made during Amdy Faye's (below) transfer toPompey in 2003 As expected, the Premier League board agreed yesterday that the £7m slice of broadcasting cash due to Pompey would go straight to clubs owed money by the crisis club. However, Portsmouth are also due at the High Court in London today to contest a £6m tax bill. Pompey goalkeeper David James will have a medical today beforecompleting his loan move to Stoke after the south coast club decidednot to charge a £1m loan fee. Penniless Portsmouth were demanding Stoke pay to take over the final six months of James' Fratton Park contract, which is setting them back £50,000 a week. James is likely to make his Stoke debut against former club Liverpool at the Britannia Stadium tomorrow. Ex-Portsmouth owner Mandaric vows to clear his name over tax chargesRedknapp lauds sexy Spurs: I love to watch us play, says Tottenham bossNightmare not over for Roman as flop's Russian return runs into troubleTHE INSIDER: Sevilla trying to tempt Aston Villa's Carlos Cuellar home as Liverpool hang on in the hunt for Marouane ChamakhTOTTENHAM HOTSPUR FC