Harry Redknapp denies 'dope' jibe was aimed at Andre Villas-Boas and insists he has 'no problem' with Spurs successor

Harry Redknapp insists he holds no ill-feeling towards current Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas as he prepares to face his former club on Saturday.

The QPR boss recently appeared to have a dig at his White Hart Lane successor when he claimed only a 'dope' could fail at Chelsea.

That prompted Villas-Boas, who was sacked by Chelsea last season after just nine months in charge, to hit back on Thursday, with the Portuguese saying "You have to be able to access a club like that to experience it."

But Redknapp insists his comments were taken out of context and the 65-year-old plans to share a drink with his young rival after the London derby at Loftus Road.

"I don't have a relationship with Villas-Boas but then I don't have a relationship with any other manager in the Premier League," said Redknapp, who will face Spurs for the first time since his sacking in the summer.

"I don't socialise with him, he's gone to Tottenham and done a great job. What's the problem? I've got no problem with him at all. Good luck to him, he's doing a fantastic job there. Long may it continue for him.

"I'll shake his hand after the game and invite him in for a drink, whatever the result. I don't have any problems with him. He seems a nice guy.

"I was asked a question about [Chelsea manager] Rafa Benitez and I said he's gone in there and done very well, but you'd have to be a dope to mess up with that squad of players.

"I said Rafa Benitez is not a dope, he's a top manager who will do very well there. I never mentioned anyone else, so why people have started relating it to the manager at Tottenham I don't know.

"He hasn't taken my job, he's got a job. When he took over I didn't have the job, I was out of work.

"Good luck to him, someone had to manage Tottenham - he's doing excellently, good luck to him. I don't spend my life worrying about what he or Tottenham are doing. My life doesn't work like that."