Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp has heart surgery

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has had successful surgery to unblock coronary arteries.

The 64-year-old was admitted to hospital on Tuesday night for tests and had two stents inserted during an operation on Wednesday.

Redknapp is due to be discharged within 48 hours but is unable to travel to Russia for Tottenham's Europa League match against Rubin Kazan on Thursday.

Spurs are in top spot in Group A, two points ahead of Greek side PAOK.

Assistant manager Kevin Bond and first-team coach Joe Jordan will assume first-team duties in Redknapp's absence.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said: "We are delighted the operation went so smoothly and successfully. Knowing Harry he will want to rush back, but it's important that he only does so when he has recovered properly."

Redknapp had told the Sun  he was confident the surgery would not stop him taking charge of Sunday's Premier League match at Fulham.

HARRY REDKNAPP MANAGERIAL RECORD

  • 1983-1992 Bournemouth
  • 1994-2001 West Ham
  • 2002-2004 Portsmouth
  • 2004-2005 Southampton
  • 2005-2008 Portsmouth
  • 2008-present Tottenham

He said: "I'm hoping I can be back at work again in a couple of days."

The treatment is known as a coronary angioplasty and Maureen Talbot, a senior cardiac nurse with the British Heart Foundation, explained: "It's a pretty routine procedure. People don't have to go to theatre for it, it's a procedure, not surgery and it's done under local anaesthetic."

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce had angioplasty after chest "discomfort" at the end of 2009 but reported a clean bill of health soon afterwards, while former Liverpool boss Graeme Souness had heart surgery in 1992 but led the team out in the FA Cup final only days after leaving hospital.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson had a pacemaker fitted in 2004,  but was back at work the following day.

Other managers in the top-flight have had more serious heart-related conditions, Joe Kinnear having a triple-heart bypass in 2009  which ended his time in charge at Newcastle.

Former Liverpool and Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier had to have an 11-hour emergency aortic dissection after experiencing heart problems  at half-time during Liverpool's game against Leeds in 2001.

He returned to the Anfield hot-seat following a five-month recuperation but needed a similar operation last season after suffering another heart scare at Villa, and this time decided to step down.