Spurs manager Harry Redknapp in 'excellent spirits' after undergoing heart surgery - Daily Mail

• 'I'm hoping I can be back at work in a couple of days'

By Oliver Pickup

Last updated at 4:18 PM on 2nd November 2011

Harry Redknapp, the Spurs manager, will undergo heart surgery on Tuesday to relieve a minor blockage in an artery

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp is in 'excellent spirits' after undergoing heart surgery this afternoon. 

Last night the 64-year-old, who lives in Sandbanks in Bournemouth, underwent tests and had a minor operation on a blockage in one of his arteries today.

Mr Redknapp could be back at work in days and is due to be discharged from hospital in the next 48 hours, according to Spurs football club.

He had two stents inserted into arteries to improve blood flow from the heart.

And Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said: 'We are delighted the operation went so smoothly and successfully.

'Knowing Harry he will want to rush back, but it's important that he only does so when he has recovered properly.'

Mr Levy said his manager had asked for his thanks to be passed to fans who had sent goodwill messages.

The North London Premier League club confirmed yesterday that their boss of three years, who has also had stints at West Ham United, Portsmouth and Southampton, would had a 'medical procedure'.

The surgery rules Mr Redknapp, whose son, Jamie, is a well-known football pundit, out of the club's Europa League game against Rubin Kazan in Russia tomorrow.

The London-born manager is expected to recover in time to take charge of the team for the Premier League game at Fulham's Craven Cottage on Sunday.

Mr Redknapp, whose team lie fifth in the domestic table, reassured the club's supporters and said: 'I feel fine. I'm hoping I can be back at work in a couple of days.'

Assistant manager Kevin Bond and first-team coach Joe Jordan will take charge of the team for Tottenham's match in Russia.

Mr Redknapp lives in Bournemouth and makes the 250-mile round trip to the club's training ground most days along with Mr Bond.

He admitted in March 2010 that he had started talking heart pills upon the advice of his doctors, but stressed it was not a major problem.

Writing in his Sun column at the time, Mr Redknapp said: 'About a year ago I needed to take heart pills and I am still taking them regularly.

'I am absolutely fine and have no worries about my health but this game can make the most mild-mannered of people explode as when you are sitting on the bench you get eaten up inside from first to last whistle.'

Animated: Redknapp on the touchline during Tottenham's clash with QPR on Sunday

On the stresses of management he added: 'After a game I cannot sleep, there is too much going on in my head as I go over moves, think about game plans, think about which player has had a good or bad game - and it's worse if you lose.'

Group A leaders Spurs travel to Kazan with a two-point cushion over PAOK Salonika, knowing a victory would guarantee their place in the knock-out stages.

But they will have to do it without their manager, and the club have not divulged when he is to return to the dugout.

A club statement read last night: 'The club can report that Harry Redknapp is due to undergo a medical procedure tomorrow morning and will therefore not travel with the squad to Russia for our Europa League fixture against Rubin Kazan.

'Kevin Bond and Joe Jordan will assume first team responsibilities in Russia in his absence.'

On a roll: Spurs will be out to continue their recent good form

Mr Redknapp is not the first football manager in recent times to have undergone heart surgery.

Gerard Houllier had to have an 11-hour emergency aortic dissection after experiencing heart problems at half-time during Liverpool's game against Leeds in 2001, and the Frenchman required a similar operation last season when in charge of Aston Villa.

The former Lyon manager, who like Mr Redknapp is 64-years-old, returned to manage Liverpool after five months out, but he did not take charge of another game at Villa following his most recent heart scare and left the Midlands club in the summer.

And Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson had a pacemaker fitted in 2004, but was back at work the following day.

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce underwent heart surgery while in charge of Blackburn in 2009, and Joe Kinnear had a triple-heart bypass earlier in the same year while at Newcastle.

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