Rafael van der Vaart admits Harry Redknapp is the right person to succeed Fabio Capello as England manager but he does not want him to leave Tottenham.
Redknapp is the leading candidate to take over from Capello when the Italian steps down after the European Championship finals next summer.
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy insists Redknapp is not interested in the England job 'just yet' and van der Vaart has expressed his concern at the prospect of the manager turning his back on the White Hart Lane outfit.
"I hope Harry is going to stay but, to be honest, I think he is maybe the right man for the [England] job," the Dutchman told The Guardian.
"The players would accept him...and especially, the people in England, everybody loves him, so I think it is going to be a good move from the England organisation.
"It would be bad for Tottenham but somebody else would come."
Van der Vaart insists he has a very good relationship with Redknapp and as a result was able to vent his frustration to the manager when he was omitted from the Tottenham squad for the Europa League.
"When your relationship is good, you can tell somebody the truth," the Dutchman added. "It's better to do it like this. To go to him and talk about it rather than go behind his back or say something in the newspapers. You always have to be honest.
"You get to a certain point and then you say, 'Listen, I don't like it'. I think it's a good thing and I also go home happy. You are not frustrated."