| |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
Lawrie Sanchez |
|
Fulham manager Lawrie Sanchez insists he has no regrets about allowing Papa Bouba Diop to leave the club.
Diop returns to Craven Cottage with Portsmouth for the first time since completing his move to Fratton Park during the summer.
The Senegal international - nicknamed the `Wardrobe' - was a fans' favourite during his three-year spell with Fulham, and many were surprised that Sanchez allowed him to quit so readily.
But former Northern Ireland manager Sanchez claimed that letting Diop depart had been in the Barclays Premier League club's best interests.
He said: "Papa Bouba Diop made it clear that he wanted to move on to new pastures, and sometimes when players say that, it's a waste of time trying to keep them.
"Of the players who said they wanted to go, most have gone. Whether it is for better or for worse, only time will tell. We don't know.
"Papa came to me and said he wanted a new challenge, and he has a new challenge at Portsmouth.
"He wanted to be guaranteed a place in the first team, and I could not give that guarantee."
Sanchez is likely to name an unchanged starting XI for the visit of Redknapp's sixth-placed side, who are five points and 10 places above Fulham in the table.
He is still without injury victims Lee Cook, Ian Pearce, Jimmy Bullard, Philippe Christanval, Moritz Volz and Brian McBride.
Sanchez insists he has little concern about Portsmouth's rampaging attacking play against Reading.
He added: "I thought it was a freak result, although Pompey do score a lot of goals.
"In the last period of the match, goals rained in, and there could even have been more goals."
| |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
Harry Redknapp |
|
Meanwhile,
Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp admits he has sympathy for Pedro Mendes as the Portsmouth midfielder struggles to reclaim a first-team spot from Sulley Muntari and Diop.
Mendes started the campaign against Derby and Manchester United but when he was injured, manager Redknapp dived into the transfer market to land Diop from Fulham.
And the Senegal battler has formed a solid midfield partnership with Ghana international Muntari, leaving former Porto ace Mendes out in the cold.
Mendes is fit again and has promised to fight for his place despite reports of interest from Aston Villa, but he will find only a seat on the substitutes' bench against Fulham and even Redknapp admits: "It must be very difficult for Pedro.
"Good players want to play and he is a great player. But I have cover for most positions here now and it means a lot of players who can't get in are walking around with long faces and feeling down.
"It is very hard to change a winning team that is playing really well and when you have played in top league games and European matches you are not happy in the reserves or just watching."
With Kanu still struggling to overcome a knee injury and Benjani Mwaruwari hitting a hat-trick as the Nigerian's lone-striker replacement last week, it looks set to be the same team.