Portsmouth

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp believes his capture of England defender Sol Campbell will spark a new dawn at Fratton Park.
The Pompey boss is convinced Campbell is physically and mentally ready for job - and that his move will persuade more big names to join the south coast club.
Redknapp reckons the electric atmosphere Campbell experienced on visits to Fratton Park with Arsenal was also significant in his decision to join Pompey rather can continue his career abroad.

The 31-year-old trained with his new team-mates for a second time on Wednesday after agreeing a one-year deal with the option of a one-year extension and stayed behind for an extra afternoon session to build his fitness after five weeks without a club.

Campbell’s overall fitness is not yet up to the mark and Pompey’s behind-the-scenes-team will battle to get him ready for the start of the Barclays Premiership season against Blackburn Rovers on August 19.

Pompey striker Lomana LuaLua will also miss the match with the ankle injury sustained in a friendly at Oxford United which will also keep him out of at least the first two games of the season.

Redknapp said: “Sol trained well with us. He’s fine. I think he’ll give the whole place a real lift just coming in here.”

The former Tottenham Hotspur skipper, who broke his nose the last time he played at Pompey for Arsenal in a 1-1 draw April, has had his mental state questioned since his infamous disappearance from Highbury during half-time after he had been substituted following two blunders that gave away goals against West Ham United last season.

Redknapp said: “Mentally, he’s very, very strong. I think he’s looking forward to the challenge.”

His arrival at Fratton via two north London clubs has parallels with those of Paul Merson and Teddy Sheringham in previous seasons.

Redknapp said: “They were great players here. Merse was fantastic. Teddy was an incredible player and person. We’ve brought some good players to Portsmouth since I’ve been here, so hopefully Sol will be another good one.”

Redknapp, who has so far signed Chelsea’s Glen Johnson on a loan deal and midfielder David Thompson on a free transfer this summer in addition to Campbell, said: “We are still looking around at different players.”

“We are just trying to get one or two in before the start of the season. Hopefully Sol Campbell’s arrival will encourage more players to come here.”

The club denied, however, that Peru left back Juan Vargas, from Argentinian club Colom de Sante Fe, has now signed a deal. The player is training with Portsmouth but has yet to take a medical since arriving in England.

Harry Redknapp is on course to build a whole new back five by the time Pompey open their Premiership campaign. Sol Campbell has signed a two-year deal, Glen Johnson is already guaranteed being first-choice right-back. What price Sylvain Distin, Juan Vargas and David James to join them?
England and former Arsenal defender Sol Campbell has become Pompey's third signing of the summer - and probably their biggest of all-time.

The 31-year-old free agent has signed a two-year deal - that's a year longer than most expected - and is likely to make his debut in Thursday night's friendly against Porto.

Campbell signed on Tuesday evening after coming through a first training session with his new team-mates.

It is a massive coup for Harry Redknapp, who met him for a pub lunch in London last week to try to talk him into joining Pompey.

The Pompey boss said: 'I told him Portsmouth are a club going places, a good club to come to.

'It's a very ambitious club now. We are going to keep moving forward and he can be part of something very exciting. So I think he was up for that.

'I think he'll give the place a real lift just coming in. He's a top, top player, a big character and I think he's a great signing for us.

'He's very strong. I think he's fine and looking forward to the challenge.'

Now the question on the lips of fans thirsting for more big-name buys is who else will be tempted to add their names to the Fratton squad.

The likelihood of Man City and England goalkeeper David James heading this way seems high, with James and Campbell apparently close buddies in the international camp.

And James' City team-mate Sylvain Distin is Redknapp's number-one choice as another centre-half, presumably Campbell's partner at the heart of defence.

With Glen Johnson already having joined from Chelsea on a year's loan, then if those two come and are joined by Peru's Juan Vargas, for whom a work permit is being sought, then Pompey could have an all-new back five against Blackburn on August 19.

Attention then will turn back to the other end of the pitch, where with Lomana Lualua out until late August with an ankle injury, Svet Todorov and Benjani Mwaruwari are Redknapp's only fit senior strikers.

Expect Pompey to bring in another two strikers, and a creative midfielder, before the transfer window closes.

Kanu's name remains consistently linked as one of those strikers, while the second could be one of the top international names already mentioned in this remarkable summer.

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Portsmouth achieved their aim of reaching the Premiership in some style in the 2002/03 season. They became Division One champions and the 37th member club of the FA Premier League following a triumphant campaign that saw them dominate their league from start to finish, finishing with 98 points and 97 goals. Manager Harry Redknapp’s talent had always been the transfer market and he used his widespread contacts to secure some vital signings, including imperious goalkeeper Shaka Hislop from former club West Ham and pacy Bulgarian striker Svetoslav Todorov. Blending their high-profile stars with youngsters Matthew Taylor and Gary O’Neil, there was no stopping the Fratton Park outfit. A return to top-flight football for the first time since 1988 was no more than the club’s committed band of supporters deserved. Although tipped to struggle by some observers, Pompey confounded the critics and a return of 21 points from 10 games at the end of the season secured a respectable 13th place and Premiership football for another year. Redknapp resigned from his position in November 2004, ushering in a new era at Fratton Park, with Alain Perrin briefly taking charge of first-team affairs from April 2005 until November of the same year. However, Redknapp made a shock return to Fratton Park on December 7, 2005, leaving bitter rivals Southampton to ride to struggling Pompey’s rescue after Perrin was dismissed thanks to a poor start to the 2005/06 season. Pompey survived relegation and in the summer Redknapp appointed former Arsenal captain Tony Adams as his assistant manager. Instantly recognisable for their passionate, colourful and vocal support, Pompey have proved a welcome addition to the top flight.