Redknapp urges Foe tribute match

Harry Redknapp is backing calls for a tribute match in honour of Marc-Vivien Foe who collapsed and died whilst playing for Cameroon last night.

The death of former West Ham and Manchester City midfielder Foe, from a suspected heart attack, has stunned the world of football, and there have already been calls for a benefit match such was the popularity of the 28-year-old.

“Anyone who has come in contact with Marc will be very upset this morning and he will be sorely missed,” said Redknapp. “I would back any calls for a tribute match for him, for sure.

“His death has come as a massive shock. I was watching the match on television and was surprised to see him go down, because you couldn’t have knocked him down with a sledgehammer, he was such a powerful man.

“He was as strong as an ox, but a gentle giant who got on with his game quietly – although when he hit you with a tackle you knew about it.

“Marc was respected and loved by his fellow pros, nobody could dislike him, he was happy-go-lucky. You could see last night how upset all the French players who knew him were.”

It was Redknapp who brought Foe into English football when he signed him for West Ham in January 1999 – and he revealed how he was trying to sign him again this summer for his current club, Portsmouth.

“We had been in contact with Marc and had faxed over an offer to him trying to get him to Portsmouth,” said Redknapp.

“I felt he would have been a great player for me and a great fella to have around your football club because he was a big guy who had a smile on his face every day and not a bad bone in his body – I never met a nicer big guy than Marc, I can honestly say that.

“I was fortunate to get him the first time. He was going to sign for Manchester United and had agreed terms with Sir Alex Ferguson, but he broke his leg prior to the 1998 World Cup finals and the deal was put on hold.

“As time moved on, United brought in other players and we stepped in and brought him to West Ham. He was excellent for me, he was big and strong, and he was a big part of Cameroon’s international success.

“He’d been with us for only about three months when Liverpool came in for him with an offer of £2million more than we’d paid for him. Marc had friends at Anfield, people like Rigobert Song, and he was keen to go. However, he failed the medical which meant he stayed with us.

“The following season Lyon came in with a good offer, and he had failed to settle here because he had his whole family with him and they struggled to get work permits, so he felt it was best to go back to France.”

Redknapp said he was now waiting to hear details of the funeral so that he could go and pay his respect to Foe’s family.