Bargain striker Mornar can keep Pompey alive

HARRY REDKNAPP has been up to his old tricks again — and those tricks might just be good enough to keep Portsmouth in the Premiership.

While Spurs went out and spent £7m (€10.2m) on West Ham's Jermain Defoe during the transfer window, Redknapp raided the bargain basement again and snapped up Croatian international striker Ivica Mornar from Anderlecht for £200,000 (€292,000).

Both players scored in Saturday's remarkable 4-3 win for Spurs over Pompey and it was abundantly clear that both teams have invested wisely although it is Redknapp who, as ever, will be laughing all the way to the bank. When he was manager of West Ham he used to call his team 'Redknapp's Rejects' because he went out and acquired players other teams didn't want. Those rejects once got the hammers into Europe and while Portsmouth are a long way off from those heights, it is clear that Redknapp's nose for a bargain is taking them in the right direction.

"I have been so impressed with Mornar," said Redknapp. "He came in last week for his debut and did well in the first half before getting cramp but he trained this week and looked dynamite he has a great attitude .

"He has got a good touch for a big man and I think he'll do well. I watched him last year when Croatia played Sweden and again when he scored for Croatia against England at Portman Road. I saw him play against Bayern Munich in the Champions League and he was excellent, and I thought he would be a good signing.

"We paid £200,000 (€292,000) for him with another £100,000 (€146,000) if we stay up, and he is a good signing. I can't afford to buy Defoe for £7million (€10.2) but we have got good players and they showed that against Spurs."

Redknapp felt hard-done by as Spurs stole all three points with a last-minute winner, and believes there is very little to choose between all but the top five teams in the Premiership.

Portsmouth's problem has been their failure to secure an away win in the top flight but Redknapp hopes to see that change following the return from African Nations Cup duty of Aiyegbeni Yakubu, the addition of Mornar and the signing of Lomana Lua Lua on loan from Newcastle. "There is nothing in this league, it is over-rated," said Redknapp. "The top three, as I keep saying, are different class, then Newcastle are excellent and Liverpool are up there, but after that there is nothing in it.

We shall be more of a threat now, with Lua Lua and Mornar and Yakubu we have got players who can do things and I think we'll cause problems for teams away from home. We got sucked in down the bottom because we lost six or seven of the players who helped us make such a good start.

Tottenham endured another roller coaster ride, losing the lead three times. Defoe put them ahead, Eyal Berkovic equalised and Robbie Keane restored the lead before the break. Lua Lua equalised, Keane struck again, Mornar equalised and Gus Poyet grabbed a late winner.

Spurs fans booed Dean Richards after he went asleep for Lua Lua's goal, although he later set up Poyet's strike.