HARRY Redknapp is already the red hot favourite to take over as England manager after Fabio Capello sensationally quit.

Capello resigned as England manager after a row with the Football Association for stripping John Terry of the team’s captaincy.

Just hours earlier, bookmakers slashed odds on Redknapp replacing the Italian in the post after he was acquitted of tax fraud.

The Tottenham Hotspur boss described his bung slur “nightmare” after Southwark Crown Court jurors cleared him of tax dodging on �189,000 in a Monaco account.

Capello’s decision was announced after crisis talks with FA chairman David Bernstein and general secretary Alex Horne at Wembley.

An FA statement said: “The Football Association can confirm that Fabio Capello has today resigned as England manager.”

Redknapp has yet to say whether he would take the job but has long been tipped as the most likely successor.

The FA will hold a press conference at noon on Thursday, with the chiefs under pressure to make a hasty replacement before the European Championships.

Capello had been enraged after the FA went over his head to strip Terry of the captaincy until after his July court case where he will deny racially abusing QPR’s Anton Ferdinand.

Former Ipswich Town boss Roy Keane told ITV: “Clearly the interview to the Italian broadcaster over the weekend has compelled it to come to this. I didn’t expect this to happen so quickly.

“Harry Redknapp will be the clear favourite to get the job and I’m sure he’ll be the fans’ favourite.”