Redknapp says next home games crucial

HARRY REDKNAPP has identified Portsmouth’s three December home games as the key to their survival in the Barclays Premiership.

The 58-year-old took training yesterday as he began his second spell as Fratton Park manager - meeting many players for the first time.

He and coach Joe Jordan will discuss the future of the players currently on Pompey’s staff, but Redknapp has already indicated he will trust the players who played under him before his November 2004 departure.

That means the likes of Dejan Stefanovic, Linvoy Primus, Gary O’Neil, Andy Griffin and Vincent Pericard could be primed for vital roles this month.

And while Redknapp will already have one eye on the January transfer window, before he can trade players he is adamant third-from-bottom Pompey must make best use of their home matches against West Ham, West Brom and Fulham.

“The problem I’ve got is that I need to spend time with Joe Jordan and ask about some of the players, because I genuinely don’t know them. I’ve not seen Portsmouth play - only on TV,” Redknapp said.

“There are players here I know nothing about at all - only their names. I’ll be picking Joe’s brains a lot.

“Before January is the all-important time. We need to pick some points up because if you haven’t got some points in the bag by January then you’re really playing catch-up.

“There’s three big home games to come in that spell. They’re games we’ve really got to try to get some points from.”

Redknapp knows that only too well from his ill-fated year at Southampton, which began with Saints claiming just two points in the manager’s first five games.

A similar run could see Pompey cut adrift in the relegation zone, leaving them with too much ground to make up over the second half of the season.

“It’s going to be hard,” Redknapp added. “I think we’re 1/6 to go down. But if we can pull it off it’ll be great and we’re going to go in there and really have a go.”

Redknapp must attempt to end a four-match losing streak at Tottenham on Monday, and Arsenal away follows on December 28.

But the opposition for Portsmouth’s upcoming home games could have been far more difficult, and considering neither West Brom or Fulham have won away in the Premiership this season, there should be reason for Redknapp to be optimistic.