Pompey must show no fear, says Ben-Haim

TAL BEN-HAIM knows better than most just how dangerous Chelsea can be – but maintains Portsmouth must show “no fear” when they tackle his old team-mates in tomorrow’s FA Cup final at Wembley.

The Israeli defender – who has now recovered from a groin injury – joined Chelsea on a free transfer from Bolton during the summer of 2007.

Although he played against Manchester United in the FA Community Shield at Wembley, Ben-Haim found himself down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge following the impressive form of Brazilian Alex, and eventually joined Manchester City after only 13 Barclays Premier League appearances.

The 28-year-old moved on, after a loan spell at Sunderland, to Fratton Park last summer for what would turn out to be a rollercoaster ride.

While the future of players like Ben-Haim remain unclear after tomorrow’s showpiece, the Israeli maintains Pompey are focused on pulling off what would be one of the greatest shocks in the history of the competition.

“In football you do not need to have fear. You need a lot of desire and passion to try to do your best,” Ben-Haim declared.

“After the game if you come back to the dressing room having done your best, even if it is not good enough we will not be very, very disappointed.

“But in one game anything can happen.”

Ben-Haim continued: “I know all the players, yet even though I trained with them, I don’t think Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba or Nicolas Anelka do the same movements. They are unpredictable.

“But I have also played against them before so it is not something to get too excited about.”

Ben-Haim accepts it has been a campaign of turmoil at Portsmouth, which eventually led to administration, the docking of nine points and relegation, for which there could be no preparation.

“The players try to concentrate on football and the manager keeps talking only about football, but it is not easy, because you come in every day not knowing what is going to happen,” he said.

“I am sure the situation affected the players and if it was a normal situation like at all the clubs I have been at before then we would definitely have stayed in the Premier League.”

Ben-Haim admits his own future is unclear, but he would like to remain in England, having joined Bolton from Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2004.

During his time at Stamford Bridge, Ben-Haim did not always see eye to eye with then manager Avram Grant, now in charge of Pompey, who replaced Jose Mourinho.

Indeed, the defender was fined two weeks wages for a public outburst, claiming he would never have moved to Stamford Bridge from Bolton if he had known Jose Mourinho would be replaced by Grant.

That, though, appears very much water under the bridge, with Ben-Haim claiming Grant deserves great credit for how he has guided Pompey to the final against all odds.

“Avram knows how to relax the players,” he said. “He changed the atmosphere suddenly, by talking and laughing with the players.

“It is very important to have somebody like that who does not always talk about the bad things. He can see the positives.”