Redknapp reckons Russia may have known they were going to win the bid before Thursday's decision was made and believes FIFA's executive committee were following the money by awarding the eastern Europeans and Qatar consecutive tournaments in 2018 and 2022. Redknapp, who is favourite to succeed Fabio Capello as national team manager in 2012, claimed it was "beyond belief" England garnered just one "measly" vote other than their own to suffer a humiliating first-round exit in Zurich. He said of the Russians, who surprisingly secured the 12 votes they needed in the very next round: "It was as if they knew. "We send our Prime Minister over and everybody else goes over. "The Russians, their prime minister (Vladimir Putin) doesn't go. It's as if he knows he's going to win. "You read we were having meetings until five-o'clock in the morning; we're talking to the right people. "But, obviously, they'd made their mind up. No talking in the world was going to make a difference." Redknapp was adamant England had the best bid and should have won the vote. He added: "Listen, we all know what's probably gone on. We can't probably say, can we really? "It was amazing that suddenly two such wealthy countries have ended up with the World Cup there. "Don't tell me that we haven't got a better product to offer than Russia in terms of football in this country." England's bid team, which included Prime Minister David Cameron, Prince William and David Beckham, campaigned furiously in the days leading up to the vote. Redknapp said: "It's like going on X Factor, coming on, doing what you do. "You're either good or you're not good. "It's not a case then you go back, meet up with the judges for a couple of days and have a chat and say, 'You should be voting for me really. I'm a sexy bird, I'll get my gear off for you'. "What's it all about? "You've either got it or you haven't got it and I thought we had it. We had the product." Redknapp revealed he had dinner with FIFA delegates when they visited England to examine the country's bid. "They come to look at what you've got to offer and they couldn't help but be impressed," he said. There have been suggestions England were victims of a FIFA backlash against the British media, who aimed allegations of corruption at the organisation in the build-up to the vote. Redknapp said: "I didn't see the programme the other night, the Panorama programme. "I was too busy watching probably the best footballing performance I've ever seen in my life from Barcelona. "But I think it goes deeper than that. There's got to be more reasons behind it all than just that programme. "Who are these people who make these decisions? Who are they? What are their motives? I don't know." It is thought England's next chance to host the tournament will now not be until 2030. Redknapp, 63, is resigned to not witnessing it again in his lifetime. "Everything was right for us to hold the World Cup this time," said the Spurs boss, who remembers well the 1966 tournament. "Since '66, that's an awful long time for a country, really, that has the best league, probably, in the world and has got the greatest tradition of football in the world. "And now it's going to be another God knows how many years. "Will we ever get it again? I wouldn't know." Meanwhile, Redknapp takes Tottenham to Birmingham in the Premier League on Saturday looking for the win that could take them back into the top four. He said: "If we go up there and play as well as we have been playing then I think we're in with a real chance."
