Zajec's arrival could spell end for Smith

Jim Smith's future as assistant manager at Portsmouth is in doubt as the fall-out from executive director Velimir Zajec's appointment continues.

Jim Smith's future as assistant manager at Portsmouth is in doubt as the fall-out from executive director Velimir Zajec's appointment continues.

Smith refused an invitation yesterday to talk about a newspaper report claiming he would be the first to leave Pompey in a spate of exits this week. "I do not want to comment on my future," he said. "Not yet anyway."

However, the 64-year-old has become unsettled since chairman Milan Mandaric appointed former Panathinaikos director of football Zajec to the Fratton Park board. A club spokesman said: "It has never been our policy to comment on items in the press that are purely speculative."

The manager Harry Redknapp and Mandaric had a row over the future of Yorkshireman Smith at the end of last season. The chairman even alleged that it was Redknapp who wanted rid of the experienced former Portsmouth manager.

It is Redknapp who has been the one to react most strongly to the news of a new man coming in without his knowledge.

He managed to get Mandaric to relabel Croat-born Zajec's job title to "executive director" and was given assurances he would still have full control over team affairs - the worry which prompted the former West Ham manager to threaten to leave.

Portsmouth have lost their last three games in the Premiership - following a superb win over Manchester United - and been shattered by a glut of injuries, but Redknapp has emerged from a torrid spell insisting he still retained his enthusiasm for the job.

He certainly believes, though, that Pompey's performance at Southampton 11 days ago and Saturday's home defeat by Manchester City were affected by the speculation over his future.

Redknapp, who collected the manager of the month award in front of the Fratton Park crowd last Saturday said: "I've had the best two-and-a-half years of my life here. I've just loved it.

"I've never had one fan shout abuse at me. They have been unreal. They have loved every minute and I have loved every minute. What I get satisfaction from is seeing the fans going home on a Saturday night after we've won. And when I hear them singing: 'Harry and Jim, Harry and Jim', it is so special."

The game against City was Redknapp's 900th as a manager but he admitted he has been made to feel uncomfortable at Pompey over the past week or so.

"I would be a liar if I said otherwise," he said. "I thought I was being manipulated out."

But he was furious at speculation in the media suggesting the match with City would be his last in charge at Fratton Park.

"Why can't they put it to bed and leave it alone? If anybody makes me walk away from this club it won't be the fans but the idiots in the press who keep stirring up all this trouble."

Mandaric has also implored that a line be drawn under the recent events.

Meanwhile, Redknapp has to do without main strikers Ayegbeni Yakubu and Diomansy Kamara, suffering with knee injuries, until Christmas and must decide whether to recall experienced goalkeeper Shaka Hislop after a hamstring injury for the daunting trip to Bolton on Saturday.

The manager insists Hislop could have played at a pinch in the 3-1 defeat against City but would have risked doing further damage. And after deputy Jamie Ashdown's superb performance in his Premiership debut the former Reading keeper could be given another outing against Bolton.