Redknapp was greedy, court told

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp was sent bungs into his Monaco bank account because he was “greedy”, a court heard today.

In heated exchanges with former Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric, prosecutor John Black QC said the tax dodge was “all about Mr Redknapp and he was greedy and wanted more money”.

The barrister asked Mandaric: “That’s the truth isn’t it?”

Mandaric, standing in the box, replied: “Absolutely not true.”

Mandaric told jurors: “He was paid millions of pounds. He was paid fairly ... there was no issue whatsoever.”

Mandaric said the £189,000 deposited in Monaco “was money that I was going to develop his portfolio” with.

During cross-examination, Mandaric added: “We can go over and over, Mr Black. I respect your job and everything but I cannot deviate from the truth. Simple as that.”

Mandaric denied Redknapp was unhappy over disputes on a bonus due after a £3million profit Portsmouth made on the sale of Peter Crouch.

“I would not say an unhappy Mr Redknapp, that’s not fair to say,” Mandaric said. “Overall he was a happy manager.”

Redknapp, 64, of Poole, Dorset, and Mandaric, 73, from Oadby, Leicestershire, both deny two counts of cheating the public revenue when Redknapp was manager of Portsmouth.