Portsmouth chairman cries hoarse at Redknapp

Milan Mandaric revealed yesterday that Portsmouth paid an astonishing £3 million (about Dh 20.4 million) in fees to agents during Harry Redknapp's turbulent two-and-a-half-year reign at Fratton Park.

The Portsmouth chairman also accused Redknapp of being unable to cope with the pressure of the Premiership, revealing he first tried to quit the club after beating Manchester United last month.

Redknapp, who left Pompey after a row over the appointment of executive director Velimir Zajec, spent £12m-plus (about Dh 81.6 million) on players during his spell at the club and took in a further 20, including Teddy Sheringham and Tim Sherwood, on free transfers.

In an exclusive interview with Mandaric in Dubai, he said: "We have spent at least £3 million on agents' fees in the past couple of years.

"I know Manchester United are spending a lot more money on some heavy duty players, but this is Portsmouth we are talking about. I have a tendency to trust people and I trust them until they prove otherwise. When I find out they are not doing their jobs, I make a change.

"There were always players coming in on trial. Harry is one of those guys who likes to have a look at every player.

"If he had any difficulty, it would be because he wasn't able to turn down anyone who had a trial."

Redknapp, who traded 134 players in seven years at West Ham and oversaw a wage bill that rose from £23 million (about Dh 156.4 million) a year in 2000 to £30 million (about Dh 204 million) in 2002, built a reputation as a wheeler-dealer during his spell at Upton Park.

Mandaric said: "I heard a lot of things about Harry, but I ignored it because I took him the way I found him.

"I'm not going to get involved in what he did or didn't do at West Ham. I never had thoughts that Harry might have done something wrong, but I wasn't fond of working with agents.

"I had to balance the books at Portsmouth because I was having to put my own money in all the time. If I wasn't doing that, this club would be buried."

Executive director Zajec took charge of Portsmouth at Bolton before helping recruit Redknapp's successor.