Harry Redknapp has vowed to remain at Tottenham until the end of the season and claims the Football Association would be wrong to approach him, or anyone else, to take over as England manager before the last game of the current campaign.
Redknapp is the clear favourite to replace Fabio Capello after the Italian stepped down from his position as England manager last week.
The Spurs boss has not hidden the fact that he would be happy to replace Capello but he is also desperate to see out the rest of the season at Tottenham in the hope that he can deliver the club their first league title in 51 years.
Redknapp has been peppered with questions about the England job since Capello resigned last week, but for the first time he has appealed to the FA to wait until May before making their appointment.
The Premier League season ends on May 13, and Euro 2012 starts on June 8.
“It would be easier for everybody (if the FA waited until the end of the season),” Redknapp said.
“Whoever they go for, they will probably be in a job anyway so it’s going to be difficult for them to walk out of their clubs at this stage of the year.
“It wouldn’t be fair, whatever happened or whoever was asked.”
Redknapp has climbed to the top of the queue for the position thanks to his excellent management of Tottenham.
The 64-year-old took over three years ago when Tottenham were bottom of the English Premier League, but they are now in a position to challenge for their first top-flight title since 1961.
Redknapp’s men trail league leaders Manchester City by seven points and the former Portsmouth boss is reluctant to leave the club when he believes they are on the verge of something special.
“I couldn’t do anything or go anywhere now,” he said.
“This is where I am. I have to concentrate on Tottenham. If I didn’t it wouldn’t be right for the club.
“We have had a great season, I wouldn’t want the players to start thinking, ‘What is he doing, is he going, is he staying?’.
“I am here and I have to be until the end of the season, whatever happens.
“I owe it to Tottenham to keep concentrating on the end of the season, because there is so much to play for.”
Redknapp has been in Dubai to recover after a draining 13-day trial which ended with him being cleared of two charges of tax evasion.
While in the Emirate, Redknapp gave an interview to Abu Dhabi Sports in which he appeared to admit he would be willing to lead England during the European Championship while remaining in charge of Spurs.
He has now backtracked on that statement, citing Sir Alex Ferguson’s bad experience of managing Scotland on a part-time basis at the 1986 World Cup following the death of Jock Stein.
“If Sir Alex struggled, it has got to be tough, hasn’t it?” Redknapp said.
“Mind you, it was Scotland, so it is different! But if somebody takes it to the end of the Euros and it does not go well, where do you go then? Back to your club with your tail between your legs, I suppose.
“It’s a job that somebody has got to go in and do full time.”
Redknapp denies all the media clamour for him to take over as England boss has distracted either him or his squad.
“The talk was going on all that day before the Newcastle game last weekend and they came out and played some fantastic football,” said Redknapp, whose team face Stevenage in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday.
“It is not a distraction, not at all.
“I have just been thinking about Stevenage all week.”
Redknapp expects a hard test against the npower League One club on Sunday afternoon.
“It will be a tough game,” he said.
“They will be up for it, but we are a good team as well and if we play as we can we should win, but we know we will have to be at our best to do so.”