Redknapp wants full Mandaric disclosure

FORMER Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp wants to put an end to speculation regarding his departure from the club in a very public clear-the-air meeting with owner Milan Mandaric.

Pompey will host a specially-convened press conference today when Redknapp hopes everything will be brought out into the open.

Redknapp resigned last week citing his desire for a break from the game and insisting he had not been forced out by the appointment of executive director Velimir Zajec.

Mandaric also stressed the split was amicable but then re-opened the debate with reported comments concerning payments to agents during Redknapp's tenure remarks he later claimed had been misconstrued.

Now the pair will get the chance to settle any differences once and for all, something Redknapp is looking forward to.

"I want everything out in the open. He (Mandaric) came out in the papers at the weekend and then rang me and said he had been stitched up," said the former West Ham manager.

"Let's give him a chance to answer that. I want to see what Milan has got to say. Let's bring it all out in the open and we can then put it to bed and get on with the rest of our lives. There's no hiding place for anyone.

"He can say exactly what he thinks of the job I've done. It's 1,000,000% not a problem for me."

Mandaric was quoted at the weekend as saying payments to agents totalling £3m had been made over the last few seasons, something Redknapp disputes.

"I'm annoyed. I don't get involved in transfers in any shape of form. All I do is find the players," he said.

"The chairman and (chief executive) Peter Storrie do all that. And I don't think the figures are anywhere near that.

"But I'm not going to have a slagging match with anyone. I just want Milan to put his side of the story.

"He feels he has been set up by what has gone on but if there is anything to show, let's show it all."

Meanwhile, Portsmouth midfielder Steve Stone has targeted a Carling Cup final appearance to lift the gloom surrounding Redknapp's departure.

Former England international Stone returned after 11 weeks out with Achilles trouble and was a hero of Saturday's surprise 1-0 win at Bolton under the charge of new executive director Velimir Zajec.

Now he will face Coca-Cola Championship side Watford in the Carling Cup quarter-finals at Vicarage Road tonight.

Stone said: "It was a very strange atmosphere around the club last week without Harry and Jim and when we got to Bolton on Saturday looking for leadership it was still very strange to find them not there, especially because they are so vocal in the dressing room.

"But in the end this is football, and life has got to go on. We won the match and the main thing was to settle everybody down after what happened.

"Also we needed it because our away record is pretty awful. But we have to say we have a chance in this competition now.

"We also see that Manchester United and Arsenal are fielding reserve teams good ones, mind you in the competition and we are still a good side even with (Aiyegbeni) Yakubu and (Diomansy) Kamara injured. Of course, we'll miss Harry and Jim but the new man has come in with plenty of experience and he's not a bad replacement to have around."