Football: NIGEL CAN HANDLE IT

JIM SMITH is backing Nigel Quashie to handle the boo boys when he returns to Fratton Park with Southampton today for the first time.

The pounds 2million Scottish international midfielder has been branded a traitor by the Portsmouth fans for following Harry Redknapp on the short journey along the South Coast to St Mary's during the January transfer window.

But Smith, who made the same journey to be Redknapp's assistant, believes Quashie can easily handle the sound of 19,000 Pompey fans will be screaming for his screaming for his head on a plate when the two teams clash at lunchtime time.

Smith said: "Nigel is an odd ball - let's just say a bit different from your normal players.

"He's got the sort of character that enables him to rise to this sort of occasion.

"I think that he quietly enjoys it when the pressure is on and your back is against the wall, that's one of the main reasons why Harry was so keen to take him to Southampton."

On the South Coast yesterday, the managers of both sides were stressing to their players the need to try to ignore the confrontation between the fans in the stands.

But Quashie was excluded from the Southampton pep talk. Smith said: "He's a strong character who will cope with whatever happens and he's ready for it.

"Nigel knows what to expect and neither myself nor Harry need to talk to him about it."

Smith says the match, which could have a huge influence on whether Southampton avoid relegation, may not be quite as explosive a game as people are predicting. Since Smith walked out of Fratton Park, he says he is actually being treated fairly by Portsmouth fans.

He said: "I will say that whenever I have come across Portsmouth fans, they have all treated me well. I've even had some wish me and Harry the best of luck in the future."

Smith insists he will certainly not react to taunts from the stands around the Southampton dug-out.

He said: "When you are bald like me you get it every time you walk along the touchline."

Pompey skipper Arjan De Zeeuw has also warned his players to keep their cool in what is bound to be a hostile environment.

The Dutchman said: "I believe the team that settles down quickest is going to have the best chance of winning.

"It's important that we do not lose focus of the fact that if we get three points, we will not be relegated and staying in the Premier League has been our main target this season.

"That will still be target in this game. Local derbies get high emotions but we need three points and it would be the same whether we were playing Southampton or a team like Bradford at this stage of the season."

LIKELYLINE-UPS

PORTSMOUTH SOUTHAMPTON

ASHDOWN NIEMI

TAYLOR HIGGINBOTHAM

STEFANOVIC JAKOBSSON

PRIMUS LUNDEKVAM

CISSE DELAP

O'NEIL LE SAUX

HUGHES REDKNAPP

SKOPELITIS QUASHIE

STONE TELFER

YAKUBU PHILLIPS

LUALUA CROUCH

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