Tottenham fans may have had the odd grumble at Redknapp, but in truth, they could not have wished for a better run than they have had under the 64-year-old since he was appointed in 2008.

Redknapp has taken the club from the bottom of the Premier League to Champions League quarter-finalists within the space of two and a half years - and he has done it with a team dedicated to playing pulsating football.

Last season supporters were treated to glamour ties against AC Milan, Real Madrid and Inter Milan, against whom they enjoyed their finest hour - a 3-1 victory at White Hart Lane in which Gareth Bale made Maicon look as if he belonged on Hackney Marshes.

Redknapp was a victim of his own success though as he started to feel the heat towards the end of the campaign.

The former West Ham boss clearly felt expectations had gone way above what he had hoped, lashing out at the "idiotic" minority of the club's own fans who criticised him for failing to secure Champions League qualification for the second successive year.

Now, after what has already been a turbulent summer thanks to the tug-of-war with Chelsea over Luka Modric, Redknapp faces up to a new season which could define his career and end with him being appointed England manager.

Roy Hodgson saw his chances of landing the post take a huge blow after a torrid spell at Liverpool last year though and Redknapp is aware that one bad season could do the same for him.

"Things are going okay at the moment but I've been in the game long enough to know it can turn as quickly as it can go well," Redknapp said.

"One week you're a genius, winning games and are a fantastic manager, the next week you lose a few games and you don't know what you're doing."

The hurdles that Redknapp has to negotiate to make sure that he does not suffer a hit to his reputation are numerous.

Firstly, the Modric stand-off has to be resolved. The Croatian put in stellar performances last year but will not be able to do the same this time around if all he can think about is a move to Chelsea.

The next thing on Redknapp's to-do list is to get rid of up to six of his fringe players like David Bentley and Robbie Keane, who are preventing him from signing new faces.

Top of the list of imports has to be a strong target man capable of delivering 20 goals a season. Had it not been for the excellent form of Rafael van der Vaart in the first half of the season, Spurs would have fallen way short last year, with Jermain Defoe, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Peter Crouch all failing to deliver.

Redknapp is blessed with arguably the best midfield in the league so will have no problems there, but there are concerns at centre-half, where injury-stricken Ledley King is facing a make-or-break season given that his contract is up in 12 months' time.

The manager's only other selection conundrum comes in goal where Brad Friedel's arrival is sure to give Heurelho Gomes the kick up the backside he needs after his lax performances towards the end of last year.

The Europa League will almost certainly prove an annoying hindrance to the manager, whose critical comments about the competition mean that he is almost certain to use his second string in Europe.

Redknapp believes that one of the main reasons why Manchester City pipped Spurs to fourth last year was because they exited the Europa League in March and is aware that a prolonged campaign in Europe will affect the club's chances of making the top four.

"You play Thursdays and Sundays most weeks in the Europa League, it is very difficult to concentrate and it makes the Premier League even harder," Redknapp said.

The fact that all the teams around Spurs have spent big this summer means a top-four finish could arguably be the greatest achievement of Redknapp's career, but he does have the squad to do it.

And should his team end the year in the top four, he will not only be congratulated by chairman Daniel Levy, but may well get a call from the Football Association too, inviting him to take on the job that he has dreamed about ever since he assumed his first role in management with Bournemouth some 28 years ago.