The beautiful game? Peter Lansley compares the tactics of Sam Allardyce, Harry Redknapp and Mark Hughes

Harry Redknapp will travel to the North East this weekend, which suggests that the fixture computer can see into the future and has a wicked sense of humour. The reaction of the Sunderland supporters to the manager in the visiting team’s dugout at the Stadium of Light for Sunday’s match against Portsmouth may depend on how many of them have money on him to succeed Sam Allardyce as manager of Newcastle United.

Redknapp and Portsmouth denied yesterday that they have received approaches from Newcastle, but Redknapp remains favourite to take over at St James’ Park, which suggests that most punters believe that the surprise he professed yesterday at being linked with the job was probably a question of keeping up appearances.

“I really do not know anything about this,” he said. “I have not spoken to anyone from Newcastle. There’s nothing in my being linked with the job. I had an offer not so long ago to take over at what I consider a massive club, but I didn’t go. I am happy down on the South Coast.”

Portsmouth issued a statement describing speculation as “unhelpful” and said that they had received “no approaches for our valued manager”, who “remains as committed as ever to this football club”. Redknapp, though, will be torn between the prospect of managing a club of Newcastle’s potential and strut his stuff on the biggest stage of his career and the comfort zone of life in Hampshire, where exceeding early expectations was not difficult. However, his very success has created a new level of belief and he spent much of last summer playing down suggestions that Europe was a realistic target.

Redknapp knew that there were clouds on the horizon. Not only were four of his most influential players disappearing to the African Cup of Nations, but he must have feared a repeat of last season’s January transfer window, when negligible investment was made available for team strengthening. Redknapp has been signalling for weeks that he could afford to shop only for free transfers and loans, with money available only if players such as Matt Taylor are sold.

On the face of it Redknapp has plenty to offer Newcastle. He espouses attacking football, loves skilful players of the type idolised in the North East and has no more damning dismissal of a game than “I wouldn’t have paid to watch that”, which the Geordie public can understand only too well. On the other hand, he is the manager of a team who have not scored a league goal at home since September 29, which could be worth considering by the Newcastle owner.

Swapping one manager who refuses to talk to the BBC because of the Panorama investigation into bungs for another may look odd, while there may be misgivings on Tyneside over Redknapp’s arrest in November as part of an investigation by the City of London police into illegal payments to players. He is on bail until next month, although he strenuously denies involvement in any illegality and has accused police of being attracted to his high profile.

If he is offered the Newcastle job, Redknapp will have some hard thinking to do. If he turns it down, he can be reasonably certain that no other big job will be offered. Last August he told The Times that he had been approached by big clubs, “but I’m very happy here and I’ve enjoyed it.

I’m not a person who likes change, in all honesty. If I’m somewhere I’m happy, the money doesn’t matter and I’m not on an ego trip. I’m very happy here until such time as someone wants to change me. I love working here. The thought of going to any other club doesn’t interest me at all.”

The lack of a competitive transfer budget may have changed his mind. Much has been made of Redknapp’s disinclination to move from his home in Sandbanks, a peninsula bordering on Poole Harbour, where house prices can approach eight figures. If he sold, he could easily afford to buy anything on offer in Ponteland, the village favoured by Newcastle players including Alan Shearer. Renting would be well within his means and perhaps wise, bearing in mind the transient nature of managers’ employment.

At a pinch, he could even commute. Flybe operate regular flights of 1hr 15min to Newcastle from Southampton airport. This weekend could be a dry run.