By CHRIS WHEELER
Harry Redknapp is set to hold talks over the Blackburn job on Tuesday as he prepares for a return to management.
Sportsmail revealed last week that the 65-year-old former Tottenham boss has emerged as a surprise candidate to succeed Steve Kean at Ewood Park.
Redknapp faces competition from former Blackburn defender Henning Berg, who was interviewed for the job on Monday, while Blackpool manager Ian Holloway remains in contention.
But considering that he was favourite for the England job just eight months ago, persuading Redknapp to move north from his base on the south coast — and drop down to the Championship for the first time since he left Southampton seven years ago — would represent a major coup for Blackburn’s global adviser Shebby Singh.
Singh is aware he must come up with the right offer and that the former West Ham and Portsmouth boss could also become a target for some Premier League strugglers.
Berg, 43, fits Singh’s mould of a younger coach with Blackburn connections, having won the Premiership title at Ewood in 1995 and captaining the club to League Cup glory seven years later after rejoining them from Manchester United.
Unlike two other targets, Tim Sherwood and Billy McKinlay, he also has managerial experience, with Lyn Oslo and Lillestrom. But Redknapp would be the clear favourite if Tuesday’s negotiations go well.
Should the approaches for his top targets fail to land the club a new boss, Singh is preparing to line-up an audacious bid to land Diego Maradona as the club’s new manager.
Singh has opened discussions with Maradona, who is available and said to be keen on the job after leaving Arabian club Al Wasl.
The move for Maradona has begun in earnest over the past few days – much to the amazement of other officials at Ewood Park as the Argentina legend speaks only limited English.
He also had battled drug addiction, and had numerous run ins with officials and the media during his colourful career.
Meanwhile, Blackburn’s neighbours and Championship rivals Bolton Wanderers unveiled Dougie Freedman as their new manager on Tuesday.
The 38-year-old former Crystal Palace boss admitted he is taking over ‘a club in decline’ and wasted no time warning a squad with the second biggest wage bill in the Championship that he expects them to turn things around.
‘Certain players believe the club was made for them and that will certainly change,’ said Freedman.
‘We all need to understand from the beginning that you’re only as good as your last game.
‘I will make sure they turn up every day determined to get better and respect each other. If they don’t I’ll deal with them.’
Palace centre back Paddy McCarthy is expected to be one of his first targets in January, but Freedman is confident he can get the best out of the players already there.
He said: ‘I believe in my own philosophy on the game in the way I give people opportunities and play with a no-fear factor.
‘Take the modern-day player and strip down the money, the caps, the hairstyles and the tweeting, and you’ve still got an individual who is talented and needs to get that talent out in some way.’
Former Watford boss Sean Dyche, 41, is expected to be confirmed as Burnley’s new manager on Tuesday.
