Harry Redknapp quit Queens Park Rangers

Harry Redknapp quit Queens Park Rangers – after a dramatic 5.30am phone call to Tony Fernandes.

Redknapp, 67, revealed he came to the decision he could not continue after being told he would need replacements for both right and left knees. Unable to walk even 100 yards, he accepted he was not the man to lead Rangers into their relegation fight. And he called owner Fernandes in the small hours to deliver the news.

'I was awake all night, thinking about it,' Redknapp told me. 'I'm struggling so badly now. I can't walk, I can barely stand and watch. I'm in pain all the time. I've been putting it off, and putting it off, but it has got to the stage where I cannot do the job.

'I booked a ticket for Fulham's FA Cup game with Sunderland on Tuesday night, but my first thought was, 'how am I going to get to the ground?' Even if I get a car park pass there is going to be some walking. I can't walk around Craven Cottage anymore, I can't walk down the street – that's how bad it has got.

'I went to see my grandson play football at the weekend, and after five minutes had to go back to the car. I couldn't even stand up. What sort of life is it if you can't watch the kids play? That sort of made my mind up. I went to bed thinking I would sleep on it, but then I couldn't sleep a wink. That's when I decided to call Tony. It must have been 5.30am. I just told him he needed someone who could properly coach and manage the team in the next ten weeks. It's such an important time. They need someone who can give it everything.'

Redknapp's resignation immediately brought speculation that he had become frustrated at a lack of activity in the transfer window. Rangers face financial fair play restrictions, and a huge fine, and have been working to cut budgets.

Yet he insisted this was not the case. 'I haven't got the hump, we haven't had a row,' said Redknapp. 'I knew some while ago that we were not going to be able to get much done in January. We had one real target on the last day, Emmanuel Adebayor, because we are short upfront. But he was too much money. I accept that. There are no hard feelings on my part – I've not had a problem with Tony Fernandes in all my