The Wizard of Pompey

If you’re in the market for a miracle worker, you could do a lot worse than taking a trip to the south coast for a chat with Harry Redknapp. Since returning to Portsmouth, Harry has transformed the club’s fortunes and they currently sit proudly in 4th place in the Premiership with 25 points from 16 games and only Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal to look up to.

It’s fair to say that Harry hasn’t always received the credit he deserves for his enduring success as a manager – success which has often been achieved on the tightest of budgets. This season, the astute acquisition of players of the calibre of David James, Sol Campbell and Kanu has helped him turn Pompey into one of the most attractive sides in the Premiership and at last it appears that the days when they seemed to be constantly battling against the prospect of relegation are a thing of the past.

But it isn’t all plain sailing. Harry’s side face difficult games against Everton, Arsenal, Sheffield United, West Ham and Bolton Wanderers and in the short term at least, they do so with very limited resources in the striking department. With Lomana Lua Lua and Andy (please call me Andrew) Cole sidelined by injury, Harry is hoping Benjani (with the aid of some pain killing injections for a sore knee) and Kanu can last the pace and help keep Pompey up with the high flyers.