Harry Redknapp was more interested in David Beckham than dealing with his Monaco bank account, a court has heard.
The Tottenham Hotspur manager, who was giving evidence at Southwark Crown Court where he and his former boss, Milan Mandaric deny cheating the public revenue with £189,000 payments into a Monaco account, also said he wrote the Monaco account off when Milan Mandaric told him it was a "disaster".
When asked about a six figure bank transfer from Monaco to Mandaric's US bank in 2003, Redknapp said his mind was on football.
He said: "All I was thinking about was marking David Beckham than signing them [forms]."
The prosecution alleged earlier that the multimillionaire football boss received bungs into his Monaco bank account because he was "greedy".
The former Portsmouth FC manager said that Mandaric's investments did badly: "When he first mentioned it to me he was on about making a million dollars - he said it was a disaster later on", adnd added that he "didn't know anything about the account, never went near it".
"I have always paid my taxes. I've always gone to the best available people...I have always paid too much tax rather than not enough."
When asked about his relationship with co-accused Milan Mandaric, Redknapp said they hit it off within an hour of meeting.
"We had our ups and downs, I was a bit volatile perhaps.There's no one else I would rather go to dinner with, even now. I love his company."
Redknapp told the court his only previous charge was for speeding.
As defence QC John Kelsey-Fry began his questioning, Redknapp confirmed he had received a £300,000 gift from West Ham United for the sale of Rio Ferdinand to Leeds United.
Bespectacled Redknapp, wearing a blue suit with black sweater, said the Hammers told him he had done "fantastic".
He said: "The club was not contractually obligated to pay that money I suppose."
There was laughter in court shortly before the lunch adjournment as Mr Kelsey-Fry said Redknapp's success in football was "much to the displeasure" of Mandaric's QC Lord Ken Macdonald.
Redknapp, looking over the rim of his glasses, said: "Well he's an Arsenal supporter isn't he."
In heated exchanges with former Portsmouth FC chairman Mandaric, John Black QC said the tax dodge was "all about Mr Redknapp and he was greedy and wanted more money".
Mandaric, standing in the box, replied: "Absolutely not true."
Mandaric, who earlier told jurors that Redknapp "was paid millions of pounds. He was paid fairly... there was no issue whatsoever", also revealed that he had paid £100m in taxes during his time in football, adding: "Did I suddenly go crazy?"
A US$150,000 (£96,300) deposit was made after Portsmouth beat Manchester United in 2004.
Mandaric denied the incidents were connected, adding: "We were a better team, better manager."
He said the sum deposited in Monaco "was money that I was going to develop his portfolio" with.
During cross-examination, Mandaric added: "We can go over and over, Mr Black. I respect your job and everything but I cannot deviate from the truth. Simple as that."
Mandaric denied Redknapp was unhappy over disputes about a bonus due after a £3m profit Portsmouth made on the sale of Peter Crouch.
"I would not say an unhappy Mr Redknapp, that's not fair to say," Mandaric said. "Overall he was a happy manager."
Mandaric was described by a business associate, Michael Tomana, as "a man of intelligence and integrity and his word was as good as gold".
The chief executive of technology investment firm Redleaf Group in Pittsburgh, US, said: "He had an outstanding reputation... A man of uncommon intelligence, integrity, high moral calibre, a good family man."
The businessman added: "Milan will race you up the stairs on the subway - he doesn't drive around in a limousine."
Mr Tomana said he had about 1,000 business associates, adding: "I would rate Milan in the top five of every person I have worked with."
David Horne, the former Lord Mayor of Portsmouth which gave Mandaric the freedom of the city in 2003, also backed his integrity, saying: "I don't believe there was a dishonest hair on his body.
"He was somebody that you can relate to and certainly he was somebody who can be trusted, the way he conducted himself businesswise... he was highly respected."