Pompey News

May 2007 - Posts

• Kaboul fee cools Redknapp interest

  Harry Redknapp has abandoned plans to bring French defender Younes Kaboul to Fratton Park after being put off by the price tag. The highly rated defender is close to a move from French club Auxerre to Spurs for around £8million. Talking to The News "I liked Younes Kaboul a lot and have watched him for a while." "I met him and his parents but in the end the fee was a bit lumpy. We were talking about £8-9m. It was an awful lot of money." After the signing of Hermann Hreidarsson today Redknapp declared he felt had enough defenders and considering the quality that has already been brought into the defensive unit there are better ways to spend £9 million. RSS Subscribe |  Del.icio.us | Digg It |  Reddit |  Technorati Posted May 25 2007, 05:45 PM by JenniP with no comments Filed under: Transfer News

• Pompey set to end Bramble interest?

  With the capture of defender Hermann Hreidarsson this morning Pompey boss Harry Redknapp feels he has enough defenders and is set to end his interest in former Newcastle defender Titus Bramble. With Hreidarsson's extra versatility in being able to play left back as well as central defence Redknapp felt he was a better option. Talking to The News Redknapp said "I'm not sure about Titus now. Hermann came along He can play left back and gives us plenty of options." "The thing is we have a few older players. Last year I dragged a few out to play who had injuries at times. You don't really want to do that in an ideal world" "It would be nice to be able to rotate the players." This ties in with reports this morning that Portsmouth were dragging their feet with talk with Bramble. RSS Subscribe |  Del.icio.us | Digg It |  Reddit |  Technorati Posted May 25 2007, 12:27 PM by JenniP with 2 comment(s)

• Pompey capture another quality defender

  Portsmouth today signed former Charlton defender Hermann Hreidarsson after the player activated a clause in his contract that allowed him to leave the London club on a free transfer in the event of relegation. Redknapp has been a long time admirer of the player and Pompey had been close to capturing Hreidarsson before. "I've always liked Hermann. I tried to buy him before and I'm delighted he's now here at Portsmouth," Redknapp told the club's official website. "He's got great experience at Premier League level, he's big, quick, very good in the air and a good competitor. He can play at left back and in the centre of defence so he gives us plenty of options." Hreidarsson revealed he came close to joining Portsmouth a while ago and he was happy to finally make the move to Fratton Park. "I was very close to joining Portsmouth a few years ago, but now this club is a very different one with big ambitions. "I'm very happy to be here and I'm sure the club will be pushing for a place in Europe next season. "I've always enjoyed the atmosphere at Fratton Park but I'd much rather the fans were on my side than against me. I'm looking forward to playing in front of them." With the recent signing of Sylvain Distin Portsmouth is improving our defence still keeping the players that did fantastic for us last season, also with his ability to play at left back it gives us cover in an area we have a weakness in. RSS Subscribe |  Del.icio.us | Digg It |  Reddit |  Technorati Posted May 25 2007, 08:42 AM by JenniP with no comments

• Redknapp major factor in Distin signing

  Newly signed central defender Sylvain Distin has told reporters that manager Harry Redknapp was a major influence in signing for Portsmouth and that he believes that Portsmouth can challenge for the European places next season. Distin admitted he was delighted to join an ambitious side and said: "Harry Redknapp was a big influence. I like the way his teams play and this is definitely a club on the way up. "I was five years at Manchester City and made a lot of friends there. It was a tough decision but it was my decision and I am happy to stick by it. "You have got to have ambition and for me that means trying to push for Europe. Portsmouth are capable of doing that, more than capable, and that's why I am here. "When you are on a free transfer you are going to get a lot of offers but this is the one I wanted to take." He told his former club's official website: "It has been an incredibly tough decision but, in the end, I just feel I want a fresh challenge. "I have had five very enjoyable years at City and I wish the club all the best for the future, but I want to play somewhere different. It is time for a change and it is time for me to move on." RSS Subscribe |  Del.icio.us | Digg It |  Reddit |  Technorati Posted May 23 2007, 01:23 PM by JenniP with no comments

• Pompey scores transfer coup

  Portsmouth have today signed the highly regarded defender Sylvain Distin on a free transfer after the defender left his former club Manchester City after his contract expired. Distin, 29 has long been a target for Harry Redknapp and was has been linked with a move to Portsmouth for some time. The former Manchester City captain was a target for several high profile clubs such as Newcastle and Liverpool rumoured to be interested in the defender as well as his former club which was rumoured to be offering him a contract which would making him the highest paid player in the clubs history.  The deal for 3 years and rumoured to be around £40k per week was announced at a lunch time press conference where is was also expected to announce the signing of another long term Pompey target Muntari however so far a deal has not been finalised with the player. I feel this deal shows that Portsmouth are starting to attract the quality players they need to become a serious contender for European places in the future, and may be a contender for free transfer of the season just like Sol Campbell was last season. RSS Subscribe |  Del.icio.us | Digg It |  Reddit |  Technorati Posted May 23 2007, 12:59 PM by JenniP with 1 comment(s)

• Could rain stop play?

  Sky Sports are reporting that Graham Poll in what could be his last game in the Premiership have a difficult decision to make. With the heavy rain he is looking to make a pitch inspection. The pictures Sky are showing shows the pitch soaked with loads of surface water. With all the last day of the season games starting at the same time to give no club an advantage, calling off the game could be out of the question, but the last time a game was called off at Fratton Park it was against Arsenal and then it was said that the North London club pushed for the cancellation. If the game is called off by the time its replayed we will either have no hope of Europe or we will know exactly what we have to do. Update... Poll has said the game can go ahead, lets hope the conditions dont affect the game, although may help blunt Arsenal's passing game. RSS Subscribe |  Del.icio.us | Digg It |  Reddit |  Technorati Posted May 13 2007, 01:42 PM by JenniP with no comments

• Redknapp to revisit Defoe interest?

  With Redknapp looking for more goals and quality players reports of interest in Spurs and England striker Jermain Defoe have emerged. Last season Portsmouth were rumoured to be making a £12million bid for the striker who at the time seemed out of favour at White Hart Lane, while it looked like Defoe would feature more he has not been able to establish himself in the Tottenham starting line up again this season with Berbatov and Keane being the regular strike force. "Defoe is a top player and will always score you goals," Redknapp said in the Daily Star. "I had him at West Ham and he was a great kid. I'd love to have him here. "I am looking to bring in up to six players. We have not scored enough goals." Redknapp already managed Defoe at West Ham so he already knows the quality of the England striker, however with Spurs laughing off the rumoured £12 million price tag at the beginning of this season how much would Pompey have to pay to attract Defoe to Fratton Park?  Portsmouth have proved they can do well, and hopefully have shown people that they arent just relegation fodder, so may finally be able to attract the quality Redknapp feels we need. RSS Subscribe |  Del.icio.us | Digg It |  Reddit |  Technorati Posted May 04 2007, 08:30 AM by JenniP with 1 comment(s)

• Harry wants more goals

  With the end of the season almost here thoughts turn to next season, one thing is certain Redknapp is looking to bring in several new players at least one of those is almost certainly going to be striker and rumours are pointing towards a goal scoring midfielder as well. While Portsmouth have performed beyond most people's expectations it's been our defensive line that's kept us in the chase for a European place in the past previous seasons we conceded an average of 58 goals, so far this season we have conceded 39, with only the top 4 and Everton conceding less. On goals scored there have been eight clubs ahead of Pompey's total of 45. Had Portsmouth managed to sign the top flight strikers we were linked we could of been pushing for a Champions League place. Redknapp told The News "We haven't scored enough goals, so that's an area we have to look at. Kanu's weighed in with ten in the league, Benjani's now got six and Matt Taylor's got eight. But no-one else has scored that many. "We need more pace in the team too. We need to bring in more quality into the club to keep progressing, without a doubt." "We didn't have a lot of luck in the transfer market last summer. We didn't manage to get too many of the targets we went for. But I got David James and Sol Campbell and look at the difference they've made to the club in every sense. They've been fantastic." "There were bigger clubs than us who could have taken them, but they didn't. We did. So if we can find another couple like that we'll be even better again." RSS Subscribe |  Del.icio.us | Digg It |  Reddit |  Technorati Posted May 04 2007, 08:20 AM by JenniP with no comments

• Harry wants to give Pompey six of the best

  Redknapp feels he needs up to six players to recreate this season's form next season and keep Pompey in the race for European places next season. With the Premiership getting tougher every season Redknapp knows we need to keep improving just to maintain your place in the division. Redknapp told The News "Whether we're in Europe or not, to stay in this Division and to keep making progress, we have to keep improving. I think we've got the absolute maximum out of the players this year. Tony Adams said to me after we beat Liverpool 'How do we keep getting results?' "We've done brilliantly. Every one of them has played to their maximum. As a manager you cant ask for any more. But I'm not silly. I know we need to improve the squad, definitely. "That's why I'm looking to bring in four, five or six players. We need to improve all around. I'm looking for us to do as well again next season. If you bring in better players, you'll get better results." With several clubs getting large cash injections from take over's this year and Birmingham and Sunderland coming back to the Premiership Redknapp thinks' it will be a tough league next season making maintaining Pompey's top 10 position even more difficult next season. "We've got to try to stay in the top 10 – but it's not going to be easy. Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Manchester City are massive clubs. Spurs have got an incredible squad. Sunderland and Birmingham will have a right go. "If West Ham stay up, they won't be in the position they are now again. That's how difficult it is. After the top four, it's all so tight. It's going to get tougher and tougher and tougher. "The only place to play now is the Premier League. Look at the rewards. So you've got to keep improving. If you stand still, you'll be in trouble again. "The owner knows it's no good buying a new stadium and being in the Championship with only 14,000 people in it." RSS Subscribe |  Del.icio.us | Digg It |  Reddit |  Technorati Posted May 03 2007, 05:44 PM by JenniP with no comments