Lord Alan Sugar said he will take legal action against former England midfielder Jamie Redknapp and broadcaster Sky Sports after Redknapp suggested in live television commentary that Sugar had left Tottenham Hotspur "in a right mess." Sugar posted on social media that Redknapp was an "idiot" and warned that both Redknapp and Sky "will be hearing from my lawyers Monday."
Redknapp, 52, was working as a Sky Sports pundit during coverage of Tottenham's trip to West Ham and later during coverage of Chelsea's match with Brentford when he reflected on the shock departure of long-serving chairman Daniel Levy. Speaking about the future of the club after Levy's surprise exit, Redknapp contrasted Levy's stewardship with how "Alan Sugar left the club" and said Spurs should now be "optimistic" about moving forward.
Sugar, 78, posted two separate messages on social media on Saturday, describing Redknapp as a "double barrel idiot" and later adding, "I am coming after you Jamie Redknapp idiot." The posts did not set out specific legal claims but said lawyers would be instructed. No further legal documents or filings were disclosed publicly by Sugar as of late Saturday.
On air, Redknapp acknowledged being "incredibly surprised" by Levy's decision to step down after 24 years at the club and praised aspects of Levy's tenure including the training ground, facilities and stadium. He also said Spurs had been "a bit disconnected" from supporters under Levy and expressed optimism about new leadership, singling out Vinai Venkatesham, who has moved into a chief executive role, as someone who could help make the club "a bit more friendly to everybody." Redknapp added that Levy had left the club "in a really good way."
Tottenham won 3-0 at West Ham on Saturday, their first game since Levy's departure, with Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Micky van de Ven scoring after halftime. The match followed a turbulent period for the club that included winning a major trophy last season under Ange Postecoglou, the subsequent replacement of Postecoglou with Thomas Frank, and then Levy's unexpected exit.
Sugar served as Tottenham chairman from 1991 until 2001 and has remained a prominent public figure. Redknapp has worked as a television pundit since retiring from playing and has previously criticized aspects of Tottenham's operations during his media career. The social media posts mark an escalation in a public dispute between a former club chairman and a high-profile pundit.
A Sky Sports spokesman was not immediately available for comment and Redknapp did not respond to requests for comment through his representatives. The club has not issued a public statement responding to Sugar's posts. Further developments, including whether lawyers for Sugar will issue formal proceedings, were not known at the time of publication.