HARRY REDKNAPP, THE PORTSMOUTH manager, watched most of his early football from the North Bank at Highbury and he has looked towards Arsenal again for key elements in rebuilding his team.
On Saturday, Sol Campbell, the England defender, was as dominant in anchoring an impressive Portsmouth display as he was hesitant at times last season, while Kanu’s two goals sealed victory over Blackburn Rovers and the influence of Tony Adams, Redknapp’s new assistant manager, was felt as the defence shut out Rovers’ new strikeforce of Benni McCarthy and Jason Roberts. “I like teams that can play ,” Redknapp said. “That’s why I’m attracted to the Kanus of this world, and Sol was great. When you look at the load of crap they bought last pre-season, we’ve bought some quality.
“We’re delighted to have Tony. A lot of great players have one crack at management and get cast aside. Bobby Moore went to Southend and suddenly they said Bobby couldn’t be a manager. He could have been the best West Ham ever had. Tony went to Wycombe and people write him off. Here’s a chance to bounce back. I’d love him to become manager here one day.”
Missing the injured Ryan Nelsen and suspended Tugay Kerimöglu, only an excellent performance by Brad Friedel in goal kept the score respectable for Blackburn. “We will have to think about what we did wrong and then forget about the game,” Friedel said. “We have a game at home to Everton on Wednesday night to get it out of our systems.”
Kanu, who made his Portsmouth debut as a substitute on the hour, added to Svetoslav Todorov’s first-half strike with two headed goals. He also drew the fouls for which Lucas Neill and Andy Todd were sent off and would have had a hat-trick in the dying seconds but for Friedel’s penalty save.
Advertisement
A classy win, attractive football — all Redknapp needs to complete the Arsenal comparison is a new stadium and a training ground to compare with London Colney. Or maybe not. “We’ve had them all at that training ground — Patrik Berger, Teddy Sheringham, [Paul] Merson,” Redknapp said. “They’ve all been used to the best, but they all got on with it and roughed it. It’s all part of the attraction of being here.”
Lucas Neill’s card count during his five years at Blackburn
2001-02: 1 red, 8 yellows
2002-03: 1 red, 13 yellows
2003-04: 2 reds, 6 yellows
Advertisement
2004-05: 0 reds, 11 yellows
2005-06: 1 red, 12 yellows
2006-07: 1 red
HOW WILL THEY DO?
Advertisement
Confident Portsmouth should reach mid-table if they can reinforce a threadbare squad and stay strong at home. Mark Hughes, the Blackburn manager, will hope this result is a wake-up call, but without Craig Bellamy, Rovers look as if they will be hard-pressed to repeat sixth place