It will be a good season

It will be a good season.” Consider yourself at home: The foreign footballers who came, saw and were conquered * JAN MOLBY (Denmark) Only 21 when he arrived from Ajax in 1984 to play for Liverpool, he quickly grew to sound more Scouse than many locals. I stood in front of the reporters and had to answer difficult questions It was no problem. But now we have more experience and good characters and they, too, can say something The more players you have like that, the better We can all help each other It is enjoyable. He spent much of last season fronting up reporters and cameras as much as he did strikers. His was, often, the only senior voice to be heard and, although he says “I like the responsibility, even when it is bad”, it’s a relief not to be so alone.Now it’s different. “Last season, all season and especially for the first six months,” Stefanovic says, “I had to take the responsibility. Because of him good players will come.”The money, the promises made by the new owner Alexandre Gaydamak must also be a factor? “Maybe,” says Stefanovic “But maybe more because of Harry Simple as that.

If there is another manager, a foreign guy, he’s never going to bring Sol Campbell, David James, Glen Johnson and Andy Cole. That’s for sure.”The new arrivals have also not just raised the standard but reduced the burden on Stefanovic. I’ve got responsibility for it.”Redknapp signed 10 new players this summer and Portsmouth – with seven points, seven goals and three clean sheets from three matches leaving them in second place – are off to a flyer. “We have more stability since Harry came back,” says Stefanovic, “and I always know he will bring good players He’s always done that. Sometimes if you know you are going to play all the time, even if you play badly, it’s difficult But I’m confident. I’ve played 100 games for this club and I like to keep going.”I’m not someone who likes to change club every season I like to settle down I’ve told Harry I want to stay as long as he wants me I’ve had opportunities to go but I’ve always said ‘no’ I will keep that promise You know why? It’s because I care so much about this club.

He knew Redknapp would bring in even more players – but he did not worry “It was a relief,” Stefanovic maintains. “Because I’m a professional and I always try to give my best I know that competition is good It makes you train harder, play better – I like it. I knew that if we stayed up things would change dramatically.”He managed to enjoy his summer holidays. Another late winning goal, through a penalty by Matthew Taylor and Sunderland were beaten. It meant Portsmouth went into their away meeting with Wigan knowing that a victory would save them At half-time they were losing Again Stefanovic made his voice heard. “I just said, ‘Guys, if you want to stay up you cannot play like this’,” he recalls “We were rubbish Simple as that But this was the most important game of the season for us We win, we stay up.” Deliriously, they did “Big celebrations,” says Stefanovic “Unbelievable achievement Nobody had done what we did But it was also a great relief A big release A great feeling. Harry asked me when I was going to be ready and I said, ‘As soon as I can run’.” It hurt, but then relegation would have hurt an awful lot more.”You know,” says Stefanovic “I always had belief.

Everyone said we were a poor side, but I remember Harry after that match against Manchester City and he said little. He just said, ‘Stay positive, stay focused, move on to the next game.’ Maybe we needed luck, maybe we needed other teams to feel the pressure but we, also, kept winning.”It was an astonishing turnaround. Portsmouth lost only one of their next nine games.The second was also crucial Stefanovic was injured. An ankle problem, a spur, would only clear up with an operation That meant he would be out for three or four months But that, given Portsmouth’s predicament, was unthinkable His season would have been over “But I was back in six weeks,” Stefanovic says “I just pushed myself. The first was obvious – the exhilarating 2-1 victory over Manchester City last March, through two goals by the inspirational Mendes – the second in the 90th minute – which allowed belief to course through the club. In the beginning, in January, February, those players needed games to settle down. We knew we didn’t play well, but after that they reached their form.”There were two clear turning points.

“Just before Christmas and in that time he signed players in the window As always he did excellently in his transfers. Perrin’s players, from the South Americans Dario Silva and John Viafara to the assortment of motley recruits such as Collins Mbesuma, Gr?ry Vignal and Azar Karades, were shunted out.”He came at the right time,” Stefanovic says of Redknapp. Very positive.”Redknapp took a positive approach to the Portsmouth squad. He wheeled and he dealed last January, he parted with £12m and brought in players such as Pedro Mendes, Sean Davis, Dean Kiely and the mercurial, on-loan Andres D’Alessandro – and reshaped his squad. It does not matter if you are playing Wigan Athletic [today's opponents], Manchester United or Chelsea He always says the same thing He always says, ‘OK, we’re going to win’. When you ask him for something he’s always going to say ‘yes’.