I'm innocent, insists Harry

I'm innocent, insists Harry

Published Dec. 16, 2011 7:16 a.m. ET

Redknapp is likely to find out on Friday afternoon if he is to face disciplinary action from UEFA over the clenched-fist gesture he appeared to aim towards home supporters who verbally abused him during the match in Dublin. Redknapp had been barracked almost constantly throughout the game by a section of the Rovers fans and seemed to react angrily midway through the second half with the apparent gesture. The Spurs boss, who saw his team exit the competition despite a 4-0 win at Tallaght Stadium, played down the incident, insisting he did not make an obscene gesture, and he repeated that stance at Friday's press conference ahead of this weekend's Premier League match against Sunderland. He said: "I can't repeat what they were saying. I am not allowed to repeat what they were saying to me. I didn't do anything to them, no." UEFA confirmed on Friday morning that they will wait to see if the incident is mentioned in two reports - carried out by the referee and UEFA delegate - before deciding whether Redknapp will face any charge of improper conduct. "We have not received the delegate's report and the referee's report yet. We will have a look at those to see if it is mentioned in there. They have to be submitted within 48 hours of the game, but they should be here this afternoon," a UEFA spokesman said. If UEFA deem Redknapp was guilty of making an offensive gesture, he will be charged with improper conduct, and could face either a warning, a fine, or a touchline suspension. During Thursday night's post-match press conference, Redknapp said he held no ill-feeling towards the fans who had verbally abused him during the Group A clash. "I have spent enough time in Ireland to know what lovely people they are," he said. "If you go and meet them afterwards they are probably lovely people. But they get together and shout a load of nonsense and that is football. That's life. I don't hold any grudges." TV cameras failed to pick up on the apparent gesture. Earlier this week Redknapp found himself in trouble with the Football Association for comments he made about referee Chris Foy following the club's defeat at Stoke. Redknapp said Foy looked like he was "quite enjoying not giving us anything" at the Britannia Stadium, but only received a written warning from the FA for his outburst. Thursday night's apparent gesture overshadowed a good performance from the Londoners, who strolled to victory against the Irish part-timers thanks to goals from Steven Pienaar, Andros Townsend, Jermain Defoe and Harry Kane. The comprehensive win was not enough to ensure Redknapp's men progressed to the last 32, however, as Rubin Kazan's draw at PAOK Salonika meant Spurs finished third in Group A, one point behind the Russians.

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