David James spells out why former Portsmouth, Spurs, West Ham and QPR boss Harry Redkanpp would have been perfect for top Leeds United job

The former Blues keeper said ’Arry’s man-management skills would have been exactly what the Elland Road side need at this time, as they sit 19th in the Premier League table.

He claimed the now retired ex-Pompey and Spurs boss would have had Leeds believing they could win the Premier League rather than simply giving them the confidence to avoid relegation.

Last week it was reported that the 75-year-old was willing to come out of retirement to take on the Leeds job on a short-term basis.

However, after weeks of searching for a replacement for the sacked Jesse Marsch, the Yorkshire outfit look set to appoint former Watford and Al-Sadd boss Javi Gracia.

The 52-year-old Spaniard’s move to Elland Road is expected to be confirmed today.

However, James believes Leeds would miss a trick by not appointing Redknapp, who lifted the FA Cup with Pompey in 2008 and guided the Blues to their highest-ever Premier League finish in 2007-08.

Speaking to GGRecon, Jamo said: ‘I say this with the greatest fondness, Harry is one of the two best managers I’ve ever worked with and his management skill was quite literally being a manager and not a coach.

‘He wasn’t out on the training pitch putting the cones out and instructing players on what to do. He understands the game fully and I have no doubt that he still understands the game fully now and how it works.

‘As long as he had a top number two or head coach, Harry would manage the team and when they were putting his name forward for the England job, he would have done an amazing job for them in the finals of a tournament.

‘His man-management skills are terrific and with Leeds United in a perilous position as a club at the moment, what they need is a manager to come in that can have them believing they can win the Premier League rather than just avoiding relegation and I think Harry is the man that can do that.’