Redknapp took over in March 2016 after a call from Jordan FA president Prince Ali bin al-Hussein. The assignment was tightly defined: oversee two World Cup qualifiers as Jordan chased a place at the 2018 finals in Russia.
Prince Ali had described Redknapp as a “world-class manager”, but the former West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur boss knew the limitations of a short-term appointment. He said he had no “magic wand” and would be satisfied if he could find an extra five per cent from the squad.
The language barrier made that task even harder. Redknapp arrived with experience of club football in England, but without a shared language or the time required to build a national-team culture.
The first match produced an emphatic 8-0 win over Bangladesh, briefly lifting hopes of a remarkable qualification push. Redknapp joked that he had been thinking, “Harry, you’re a genius,” before acknowledging that a comment about cricket had irritated the Bangladesh manager.
The second game exposed the gulf at the top of the group. Jordan lost 5-1 to Australia in Sydney, with Ange Postecoglou’s side described by Redknapp as “on another level”.
Despite the defeat, he remained keen to help. He even offered to work without payment in an advisory role, though his home life meant a permanent move was never realistic.
Redknapp believed Jordan would ultimately benefit from appointing someone who understood the country and its football culture. Years later, that long-term approach has helped carry Jordan to the World Cup under Moroccan coach Jamal Sellami.
Redknapp will now watch their next challenge with particular interest: a group featuring Argentina, Algeria and Austria. For a manager who lasted only two matches, Jordan’s progress has become a lasting and unexpectedly satisfying part of his story.