You must have sad lives From The Sun

HARRY REDKNAPP turned up the heat on his return to Portsmouth by telling the Pompey hate mob: "You must have sad lives."


But Southampton boss Redknapp has scoffed at fears over his safety for Sunday's relegation showdown.

He said: "It's sure I'll come in for plenty of stick. That goes with the territory because I've left Portsmouth and joined Southampton.

"It seems to be some kind of crime to do that. It's only a game of football as far as a I can see.

"If people have nothing better to than shout abuse they must have sad lives.

"I feel sorry for them - if I go to a football match I go to see a football being played, not to dish out abuse. But we'll see what happens.

"I'm not bothered by the security side of things at all. I'll be on the touchline as normal. It's a football match, not a war.

"We don't want violence or aggravation inside or outside the ground. Let's have a game of football."

Southampton confirmed they will take extra security to Fratton Park - purely as a precaution.

And, asked if he had received death threats, Redknapp added: "The only threats I've had this week have been from the wife for not doing the washing up.

"What are they going to do, kill me? If someone wants to do something stupid then lock them up because I've got no time for violent people."

Redknapp's No2 Jim Smith and coach Kevin Bond, plus key players Nigel Quashie and Peter Crouch, are also returning to Pompey with the third-bottom Saints.

And Redknapp joked that he is prepared to sacrifice Smith to protect himself.

He said: "If it gets too heated I'll keep sending Jim on to the touchline - 'Jim, quick, go and tell them to get their fingers out!'.

"They can start abusing him instead. I'll get him a Harry mask."

Redknapp, 58, added: "I just hope the players don't get caught up in the all the rubbish which is going on off the pitch.

"They don't tend to get quite as involved in the derby aspect of these games as the fans do.

"The only aim I've got in my life at the moment is keeping us up. It would hurt me if we went down.

"It would be a big achievement if we avoided relegation."