WHAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF “DOWN TO the bare bones”? Flush with flesh? A surfeit of skin? Whatever, for the first time in a long time, Harry Redknapp has ample options. “It’s almost a luxury having so many players to choose from. It’s nice, you can’t have too many good players around,” the Portsmouth manager said. Until recently, he did not.
More accustomed to bemoaning a lack of strength in depth, the Barclays Premiership’s shopping addict now exudes satisfaction and optimism. “I’m not saying we’re going to win it (the title), but I think we’ve got a squad now that will be a decent team,” he said.
The nascent league table suggests he is right. Under Alain Perrin last year, it took Portsmouth 11 matches to reach ten points; this term they have done it after four.
Redknapp attained double figures in summer signings by the close of the transfer window. The newest additions — Andrew Cole, Niko Kranjcar, Rodolph Douala and Manuel Fernandes — did not feature on Saturday.
“I do get great pride. We’ve brought players in without big fees and they’ve done a good job,” Redknapp said. “Kanu was hanging around all summer, sitting waiting for a phone call. Four days before the season started he didn’t have anyone and he’s come in and done really well. David James has done well.”
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Sol Campbell’s arrival helped to persuade James to make the switch from Manchester City. “I could have had lots of chats with Harry Redknapp and see what he had to say, but Sol’s influence on my coming here was major,” James said. “The manager is always going to tell you nice things. I didn’t really speak to Harry, it was all about Sol, and the vibes I got from him were a determination to do good things.”
James also enjoys Fratton Park’s rustic ambiance. “This is an ideal situation for me. I am very happy. That doesn’t mean to say I wasn’t happy at other clubs, but it’s traditional football down here, without sounding too silly,” he said.
Pedro Mendes returned from his Ben Thatcher-induced spell on the sidelines against Wigan Athletic and Lomana LuaLua is back from injury, but it would be harsh to drop Kanu or Benjani Mwaruwari after their efforts.
The former was effective, in his slow-motion way; the latter the match-winner. The £4.1 million signing scored only once in 16 appearances last season. “I just kept believing in him, that’s how I treat them all. I keep telling them how good they are and hopefully some of them will believe it,” Redknapp said.
“I’ve told him that the crowd love him, because he works hard. I said to him, ‘You ain’t scoring goals, but they’re not getting on your back’. I paid a record fee for him, but they didn’t moan about him, they got behind him, kept singing his name. That’s a nice feeling for a player, they kept him going.”
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He is scoring now, his alert second-half finish enough to put Portsmouth top of the table at full time and second by the final whistle at Old Trafford. The pattern of play was at odds with Portsmouth’s lofty position and status as the only Premiership side not to have conceded a goal this season.
Wigan came close to securing at least a point. “You expect to come to a place like this and be busy, but the lads in front of me were fantastic, and I didn’t really have a lot to do, apart from one save at the end,” Chris Kirkland, the Wigan goalkeeper, said.
James has slipped behind Kirkland in the England goalkeepers pecking order. “I may be 36 but I don’t feel it and I am happy the way things are going,” James said. I feel I have a lot to offer but if (Steve McClaren) doesn’t see me as part of that squad there is nothing I can do about it.”
Wigan caused enough confusion in the home defence to suggest that Portsmouth’s clean sheets will be dirtied soon. “As long as we do not get involved in a relegation battle then everyone is going to be happy,” James said. But with the size and calibre of Redknapp’s troops, Portsmouth should achieve much more than the bare minimium and leave Redknapp’s favourite phrase gathering dust.