Former West Ham loanee Dani has slammed his ex manager Harry Redknapp for ruining his international career and explained why he ‘lost all respect’ for the Hammers boss.
Dani spent time on loan with the club from Sporting Lisbon in the 1995/96 season, with his good form during his short stay with the club enough to very nearly earn him an international call up for Euro 96′.
However, Dani believes Redknapp’s refusal to play him – which was reportedly an attempt to drive down his value ahead of a proposed permanent deal – ruined his shot on the international stage.
“I debuted with the Portuguese national team, in a matchday at the Parc des Prince and Wembley, against France and England respectively,” Dani told Tribuna Expresso.
“The manager told me he was counting on calling me up for Euro 96, to be played in England, due to how well I was performing for West Ham. If I carried on like that, he’d take me – I was excited.”
He then went on to reveal Redknapp’s plan: “We had a training camp in the south of Spain, in which they spent the entire time drinking beer and playing golf. We went for a run like once or twice that week. The manager, Harry Redknapp, had the nerve to tell me: ‘Now I’m going to take you off the team until the end of the season, so your price goes down and then we buy you.’
“I asked him not to do that since I had the chance of going to the Euros and without playing it would be unlikely. His answer was: ‘I don’t care. I couldn’t care less about the Euros and Portugal. I want to buy you so I can have you here next season, so you’re not playing anymore.’”
Dani was not called up for the tournament by his country, and has since blamed Redknapp for the lost chance, something he reveals has caused him to lose any respect for the former West Ham manager and eventually caused his career at West Ham to capitulate.
“I’d go to practices just for the sake of being there, and wouldn’t respond if he talked to me or demanded anything during reserve team matches. If I had to arrive late or to skip practice, I’d do it. I lost all respect I had for him.”
Dani went on to play for Benfica and Atletico Madrid amongst others, and was handed 9 caps by his country, however never played at a major tournament.
