Harry Redknapp joked that new England manager Thomas Tuchel is a "German spy" at a recent charity event.
In footage obtained by the Guardian newspaper, the former Tottenham and Portsmouth boss told a live audience Germany's Tuchel had been "sent over to f*** us up".
Redknapp, 78, had been asked questions about former England manager Gareth Southgate and his successor Tuchel, who took charge of his first game last week.
"I liked Gareth Southgate, I liked him a lot, but we should have won something," Redknapp said in the published clip.
Then asked about Tuchel, Redknapp said: "I’ll be honest with you, I think he’s a German spy.
"I’m telling you, seriously, he’s been sent over to f*** us up. He has, I’m telling you, he’s like Lord Haw Haw in the war – 'We have your best soldiers captured’ and all that.
"Go over and ruin that team."
He then appears to add the German word ‘ja’ and make a mock Nazi salute with his left arm.
His comments were met with laughter and cheering by the audience.
Redknapp brings his involvement in the event to a close soon afterwards.
The Guardian reports the comments were made before Tuchel began his reign with a 2-0 victory over Albania last Friday. England then beat Latvia 3-0 on Monday.
Tuchel, the former Chelsea, Paris St Germain and Bayern Munich manager, was appointed as Southgate’s permanent successor last October.
Redknapp’s representatives have been contacted for comment.
