• Spurs manager rebuts allegations of unsettling midfielder
• Redknapp no closer to resolution in bid for Bellamy

Harry Redknapp has hit back in the row over the future of West Ham’s Scott Parker. Redknapp and Spurs were this week accused of unsettling the player with their £7m bid, the Hammers co-chairman David Sullivan saying he was “very angry with Harry, Daniel [Levy, the Tottenham chairman] and Spurs”.

But Redknapp argued that any damage to the players’ peace of mind was the fault of West Ham. “Who made it public that we made an offer?” he said last night following Spurs’ 4-1 friendly defeat against Villarreal.

“You can make an offer for a player if you want to. You can make an offer for anybody. I’m sure the chairman must have got some encouragement or he wouldn’t have made an offer. So I’m not sure the full story has been told about that one. The chairman wouldn’t have made an offer unless he thought there was a chance that they wanted to do something.”

A deal for another target, Manchester City’s Craig Bellamy, also seems no closer to a resolution. “I like Craig Bellamy but I don’t know if they would sell him,” said Redknapp. “The chairman deals with all the transfers. He asks me what I want and I tell him. I don’t know where he’s at with Bellamy, if anywhere.”

Redknapp also revealed the motivation behind his attempts to sign two players with a combined age of 60, with the reigning European champions proving the inspiration. “If you’re going to be really successful you need a few men in your team, not lads that are learning,” he said.

“We’ve got a good group of players but two or three players with experience would make a massive difference to the team. You look at Inter Milan – they won the Champions League with a team of men, they were all experienced players. You need players with experience.”

Harry RedknappTottenham HotspurWest Ham UnitedTransfer windowJohn Ashdownguardian.co.uk

• ‘We want to improve and Scott Parker is a big part of this’
• Grant backs Robert Green to get over disastrous World Cup

Avram Grant has insisted the sought-after midfielder Scott Parker will remain his West Ham United side’s heartbeat, while also backing the England internationals Robert Green and Matthew Upson to overcome their disappointing World Cups.

Tottenham yesterday had a bid worth a reported £7m for the player swept angrily off the table by the West Ham co-chairman, David Sullivan. Grant, the club’s manager, said: “We want to plan to improve for the next few seasons and Scott Parker is a big part of this process. He is a very good player and has a good influence on the young players. I’m sure if he was for sale that other teams would want him as well. But we are a team with ambition and we want to progress.”

Parker played alongside Green and Upson in West Ham’s 2-0 pre-season victory over MK Dons last night, secured with goals from Julien Faubert and Carlton Cole.

Green was dropped by England after his mistake gifted the USA their equaliser in the sides’ drawn opening group match while Upson played in the 4-1 second-round defeat to Germany. “Robert is a good goalkeeper. He is doing his job and he is training well,” Grant said. “Also, Matthew Upson played his first 45 minutes as well. It was good for them and for us.

“They are not children. They know disappointment is part of the game and they need to recover very quickly because they are playing for the team. What has happened has happened and we are looking forward. I have no worries at all, it was business as usual and they know that.”

Parker was the only player declared not for sale by Sullivan this summer, with Green, Upson and Cole all linked with moves away from Upton Park. But the West Ham vice-chairman, Karren Brady, stressed the club had turned down bids for players and the focus is on improving, not dismantling, the squad.

West Ham have been chasing the defender Tal Ben Haim and the Nice striker Loïc Rémy. Grant told the club’s website: “We are looking for players. There are good players in this team but we want to make the squad stronger and we are looking for two or three players that can improve the team. I am happy with what we have but I am always looking for a way of improving and making things better.”

West Ham UnitedAvram GrantTransfer windowguardian.co.uk