Redknapp in talks with Ukraine

Kiev - The Ukraine Football Federation has begun negotiations with Englishman Harry Redknapp to fill the vacant position of national coach.

Redknapp, 65, coached Tottenham from 2008 to 2012 and was named the English Premier League coach of the year in 2010. He'd been the favourite to succeed Fabio Capello as England coach this year but lost out to Roy Hodgson.

Mykhailo Fomenko, head of Ukraine's coach council and committee of national teams, said in a statement on Tuesday that "Redknapp would have a high standing among the team's players."

Fomenko said Redknapp has the "experience, coaching talent and ability to motivate players" and is "one of the best English coaches around."

Andriy Shevchenko declined the coaching offer on Monday.

The position has been vacant since Oleh Blokhin's departure in September to coach a struggling Dynamo Kiev in the domestic league.