Redknapp turns down Magpies job to stay at Pompey

Harry Redknapp has decided to stay at Portsmouth, spurning an offer from Newcastle to replace Sam Allardyce.

Portsmouth said Redknapp had held talks with Newcastle, but that he informed the club yesterday morning that he's staying at Pompey.

"We're absolutely delighted," Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie said. "It speaks volumes about his desire to see Pompey succeed that he wants to stay here."

Allardyce left Newcastle on Wednesday after only eight months in charge, and Storrie said the Magpies had made an offer on Friday to the 60-year-old Redknapp.

"Harry spoke to Newcastle and it was a great opportunity for him," Storrie said. "He went away and slept on it then we met first thing in the morning at the training ground and he told me he wanted to stay."

Although Redknapp has not won any major titles, he had a moderately successful spell in charge of West Ham and helped Portsmouth gain promotion to the Premier League in 2003. Moving to Southampton, he failed to stop the Saints being relegated for the first time in 27 years before returning to Portsmouth in December 2005.

This season, Pompey has consistently been in the top half of the Premier League table and won 4-1 at Newcastle in November.

Portsmouth play Sunderland today.

Redknapp was the bookies' favorite to take over at St James' Park following Allardyce's departure on Wednesday.

On Friday, Redknapp, who signed an improved three-and-a-half-year deal with Portsmouth in October, dismissed rumors of a secret deal between the south coast side and Newcastle.

"To say a deal has already been done is absolute rubbish," he told the News in Portsmouth. "I couldn't say anything else because that's the situation."

"There has been no approach. All I'm doing is trying to get a couple of players in before the Sunderland game but I haven't got anywhere with that," Redknapp said.

Redknapp added that money would not determine his future as British newspapers reported that Newcastle were prepared to pay him £5 million (US$9.8 million) a year -- five times his salary at Portsmouth.

"Money would not be an issue to me," he stressed. "I wouldn't go anywhere just for the money," insisted Redknapp.

Someone else who has been linked with the Newcastle job is Blackburn boss Mark Hughes. But the former Wales striker and manager said on Friday: "I have not spoken to anyone from Newcastle, I spoke to my chairman last night and he has had no contact, and I don't think there will be any contact."

Newcastle have now got through six managers since Kevin Keegan, who twice guided them to runners-up spot in the Premier League, left 11 years ago.