Send 'Arry In

 In a tale of two Harrys, Mr Redknapp senior was yesterday cleared on charges of tax evasion, while Captain Harry Wales passed his helicopter gunship training with flying colours. Two ginger haired gentlemen overcoming personal challenges, likely to lead to even headier heights of national service.

In the PR coup of the week, Tottenham Hotspur top dog Harry Redknapp walked free from Southwark Crown Court within hours of current England manager Fabio Capello resigning from his post. Flanked by his son Jamie, the bookies favourite to succeed the departing Italian said the trial had been “a nightmare”, and that he was looking forward to putting it all behind him. Heading home to wife Sandra, Redknapp will no doubt have slept more soundly than his current employer, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy. Betting has been suspended, sweating maybe not.

Prince Harry, meanwhile, was being crowned top Co-Pilot Gunner after an 18 month course that has seen the third in line to the throne master the controls of a £46 million helicopter. Apache Force Commander Colonel Neale Moss described the course as “extremely challenging, teaching and testing students in their flying skills, decision-making and mental agility.” Now assigned to 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment Army Air Corps, Captain Wales’ previous deployment to Afghanistan in 2008 was cut short when a media blackout was broken. The Prince has now hastened his chances of returning, a prospect many would find as welcome as veal in a vegan’s vol-au-vent, and this time it seems unlikely his identity would be protected. We may have giggled and grimaced at his antics over the years, but considering the options and resources at his disposal, it speaks to the character of the man that he chooses to put himself in harm’s way, when many of his vintage only look past the end of their own nose if it is to focus on their X-Box.
After the departure of Senior Capello, the FA seems to oddly favour the appointment of a chief who speaks the same language as his charges, it might help. The Italian chose John Terry as the moral cause over which to fall on his sword, a paradox that leaves one wondering just how much else got lost in translation. Nothing that a bit of cockney charm can’t cope with of course, but with England Under 21 Manager Stuart Pearce holding the reigns for the interim, the FA will not hurry to Harry just yet. Apparently, a newly qualified co-pilot gunner will fly months of UK missions before any potential overseas deployment, so on both counts it may still be a little while before they send in the Harrys.