Redknapp: I wouldn't take FA charge lying down

Harry Redknapp was today waiting to discover whether he would be charged for his outspoken attack on referee Mark Clattenburg.

It is understood the Football Association were planning to decide by the end of the day if Tottenham boss Redknapp’s comments in the wake of Saturday’s defeat at Manchester United warranted disciplinary action.

It is also understood the FA would not be swayed one way or the other by Redknapp’s extraordinary threat to boycott post-match television interviews should they elect to apply a charge.

Upon announcing he would never again conduct another such interview – which would itself be a breach of Premier League rules – were that to happen, Redknapp said: “I would be sick if they charged me.

“I wouldn’t take that lying down, no chance.”

The Spurs boss was incensed at Clattenburg on Saturday after the official decided not to chalk off Nani’s late goal, which the winger scored while goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes believed he was preparing to take a free-kick.

Redknapp branded the call “scandalous” but it was his suggestion Clattenburg might “come up with a story that will make it all look right” that could land him in hot water.

Redknapp yesterday denied calling Clattenburg’s integrity into question but still repeated his accusation that the referee and his officials colluded to get their story straight.

“What I said is that when they get in their room, and I’ve said it before, that they would always make sure that they sing from the same hymn sheet,” said the Spurs boss in what was an interesting echo of the events from an even bigger scandal that has engulfed the game in Scotland.

“Mr Clattenburg, in private, has said to somebody that I know, for a fact, that he made a mess, really. When the reports go in, all the assistants back up Mark Clattenburg.

“They all get together and make a decision – it’s a fact. If it’s a fact which people don’t like, what can I do about that? It’s a fact.”

Redknapp’s description of events at Old Trafford were backed up by Spurs’ man of the moment, Gareth Bale, who described it as “a shambles”.

But, like his manager, the winger was keen to move on from the incident and focus on tonight’s crucial Champions League clash with Inter Milan.

Bale will be taking on the European champions for the second time in a fortnight after his sensational San Siro hat-trick almost single-handedly saw Spurs come back from 4-0 down in Milan.

Now one of the most sought-after players in the game, Bale insisted life was no different now than two weeks ago.

“For me, I don’t think anything’s changed at all,” he said.

“Obviously, it was nice to score a hat-trick at the San Siro but I’m just carrying on as normal and trying to focus on my football.”

Inter boss Rafael Benitez is thought to be one Bale admirer but he was reluctant to discuss his interest in the 21-year-old last night.

On the other hand, he had no qualms launching another cryptic attack on the current regime at Liverpool, this time lambasting successor Roy Hodgson.

Almost two weeks to the day since hitting out at then managing director Christian Purslow and comparing his own departure from Anfield to a bottle of milk, Benitez claimed Hodgson could not “see a priest on a mountain of sugar”.