Pompey captain stung by ‘upsetting’ Adams jibes

PORTSMOUTH captain Dejan Stefanovic and assistant manager Tony Adams are on a collision course over criticism of the Serbian’s defending.

Left-back Stefanovic, 32, is stung by former Arsenal and England defender Adams blaming him for recent goals conceded by Pompey. And the player, who is battling on in the Premiership despite the pain of a knee ligament injury, has demanded a showdown with boss Harry Redknapp’s number two.

The popular Stefanovic may also think twice in future about playing on in pain to help Portsmouth – including tomorrow’s game at Newcastle where illness has put a question mark over Matt Taylor’s chances of returning.

Adams said: “That is twice too many – especially by the skipper” after Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic and Fulham’s Zat Knight both scored from set-pieces against Portsmouth earlier this month.

Stefanovic agrees his injury is making him play below his best but is seething over Adams’s remarks which he read in the Portsmouth News.

The 32-year-old admitted: “I’m disappointed with what has been said. I’m an honest person and I’m not happy to read these things. Tony knows I’m playing with an injury and should have kept this inside the club.

“Why not come to me about it? I have not heard from Tony but he knows the injury situation, so this is disappointing.

“Then I see what has been said by one of our own coaches and it upsets me. I will be looking to speak to Tony about this and when I do it will be man to man. This is serious. I expect much better.”

Boss Redknapp has stood by Stefanovic – who has also been the target for some crowd criticism after delaying an ankle operation last season to help Pompey beat relegation.

Redknapp said: “Dejan should not be playing really with that injury but we’ve got nobody else to play left back except Matty Taylor and he’s not well.”