Harry Redknapp has some pretty wild tales from his life in football and the story of Javier Margas’ dramatic disappearance at West Ham is up there with his best.
The Chilean defender first caught the attention of the former Hammers boss during the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
It convinced the Premier League club to sign him from Universidad Católica, but it was not long before things took a dramatic twist.
“He was the captain of Chile,” Redknapp reminisced.
“I went to watch him play in the World Cup, he was fantastic. I watched him play at Wembley, he played against Michael Owen. He was the best player on the pitch I thought that day.”
“We took him to West Ham and he came the first day, it was very different in those days, we didn’t really know how to take care of the foreign players.
“They came in and we just let them get on with it. We gave them a car, gave them a house to live in, and someone showed him the training ground.
“The next day got up to come training, but instead of coming to Chadwell Heath training ground, he ended up at Stanstead Airport, which is about 40 miles the wrong way.
“He got a puncture in a country lane, I mean what a nightmare, he started playing, played a couple of games, he would have been a good player.
“But his wife hated it. She had a big family back home and was crying. He didn’t show up for training one day and someone said his wife had gone home.
“He was staying at the Swallow Hotel in Waltham Abbey. So went round there to see him because he hadn’t come in. We had a feeling he might be trying to go home.
“I said he can’t he’s got a contract, we bought him. So we go round the hotel and they say no, he’s in his room, he came and got his key.
“They rang up, no answer. Knocking on the room, back to reception, they come back, they get a key and we go in the room.
“He’s left his half gear there the window is open, he was on the first floor. He obviously took what he needed, his passport and everything else.
“He must have jumped out the window and legged it up towards the motorway somewhere, never saw him again.
“He must have gone back to Chile and that was the end of his career at West Ham.”
Margas played 21 times for the Hammers before his abrupt exit in 2001.
Margas was born in Santiago de Chile. He experienced the most successful period in his career with his first club Colo-Colo, where he was part of four league championship-winning squads.
He played a part in the club’s first Copa Libertadores triumph in 1991 and enjoyed success in two other international tournaments.
In 1996, Margas joined Club América in Mexico, only to return to Chile in 1997 and subsequently join Universidad Católica, where he helped capture the 1997 Apertura.
He was infamous for dyeing his hair in various colours throughout his career, most notably in the colours of the Chilean flag.
Since his retirement (or should we say his hasty exit) from football, he has served as a youth coach at Colo-Colo, appeared on a reality TV show called Expedición Robinson, and even purchased an armoured car once owned by former dictator Augusto Pinochet—yes, really.
Through all the ups and downs, his passion for the game has been passed down to his children.
His daughter, Catalina, represented Chile at the under-17 level and participated in the 2008 South American U-17 Women’s Championship.
His son, Luis, is a central defender from the Santiago Wanderers’ youth system and was called up to the first team in May 2023 at the age of seventeen.
Margas was a nightmare signing for Redknapp, but his time as West Ham manager wasn’t all bad.
He spent seven years at West Ham, from 1994 to 2001, having inherited a team from Billy Bonds, Redknapp focused on cultivating the club’s youth academy.
He brought forth talents like Frank Lampard Jr., Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole, and Michael Carrick.
His keen eye for young talent and the successful acquisition of foreign players, including Paolo Di Canio, Igor Stimac, and Slaven Bilic, fostered an entertaining style of play.
Redknapp led the Hammers to an admirable fifth-place finish in the 1998/99 Premier League season, their highest position in many years.
Despite not winning a major trophy, Redknapp’s time at West Ham is fondly remembered for the development of a generation of gifted players. He parted ways with the club in the 2000/1 season.
The one that got away was located back in his home country a few weeks after his escape, effectively stepping away from football.
During his time at West Ham, he celebrated winning the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1999 and netting a single goal for the Hammers.
It was the first time West Ham had booked a place through to a top European competition in 18 years.
Their win booked their spot in the first round of the UEFA Cup.