“I think he is probably getting the bug for it and probably enjoying walking into training every day,” said the Spurs boss. “The buzz he will get from winning, he will think ’I need this’.

“I think once you are into it you are bitten by it – the ups and downs. We’ve all had ups and downs no matter who you are, even Sir Alex Ferguson.”

Shearer’s men travel to White Hart Lane on Sunday and their task is to inflict a second home defeat for Spurs since Redknapp’s arrival nearly six months ago.

Redknapp feels Shearer will save Newcastle’s season as they have three home games left in the campaign.

Even if they do get relegated, Redknapp believes Shearer’s reputation will not suffer, and he wants him to do well and establish himself as a bright, young coaching talent.

“He has gone in there and with eight games to go he can’t lose as it is not his fault as he never put them in his position,” Redknapp said. “If he gets them out he is a hero.

“We need a Shearer, a young English guy to come through so that when we are looking for an England manager we can go, ’One of those guys has done well. Give them this’. That is what I’d love to see.”

Redknapp was in the frame for the Newcastle job last year but put himself out of the running, and he has no regrets over his choice.

“I was very close,” he said. “I made the right decision staying at Portsmouth and was lucky to be the manager that won the FA Cup. I don’t regret that at all.

“Honestly, one of the biggest reasons was I did not want to go away from home. That might be called unambitious but I did not want to be away all week from my family.

“It did not appeal at my age. I had dogs and family. Life is too short for me to be away all week. If I did not like my wife I would have gone. But I wanted to be with her.”

After staying at Portsmouth, Redknapp has since moved to Spurs and saved them from the drop.

It has meant players such as Tom Huddlestone struggling for regular first team football, but Redknapp is just interested in winning matches.

He said: “I came and took over a team that was doing no good,” he said. “So I’m sorry but if people are not happy because they are not playing, I really don’t care to be honest.

“Whatever I have done I have done it right because I am picking a team that is winning football matches. I have brought players in and the competition has become fiercer.

“Tom is a good player, a terrific player. He could be a top, top player and he was excellent last week but I brought (Wilson) Palacios in and he has done well for me.”