Harry Redknapp blasts poppy peace

Posted Thursday, November 10, 2011 by The Sun

HARRY REDKNAPP last night rejected FIFA's 11th-hour poppy peace offering.

Football's ruling body had forbidden England's players from wearing a poppy on their shirts during Saturday's friendly with Spain at Wembley.

That triggered a national outcry led by Prince William, before FIFA yesterday ruled our players could wear a poppy on their black armbands instead.

But Spurs boss Redknapp, hotly tipped to be England's next manager, dismissed the gesture.

He said: "I suppose letting players wear them on armbands is something — but in a way it makes the whole situation even more ridiculous.

"If you can wear poppies on armbands, why not on the chest?

"It just sounds like FIFA is being picky to me now. And it's frightening when you have people like that running the game."

England Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce will be among the first to benefit from FIFA's U-turn when his Young Lions take on Iceland in a Euro qualifier at Colchester tonight.

But while Pearce applauds the turnaround, he says it will not make a scrap of difference to his side.

He said: "We asked the question about the poppies but FIFA initially said they didn't want us to do it.

"Even if that had been the end of the argument, it would not have diminished what's in my heart and my respect for those who have given their lives for this country."