it's the journo's who are pursuing it lol

here's a decent read:

08 Dec 2005: The Express - Page 0 - (912 words)
Pss t . . . secrets of Harry 's return
(No byline)

THIS column can today break the real story about Harry Redknapp's astonishing return to PortsmouthNthe secret meeting that made it happen and how Paul Gascoigne's 'godfather' played a crucial role in the switch.

Let me set the scene. Redknapp's name had been tentatively mentioned as a successor to Alain Perrin but no one gave it much credence. A deal was said to be done with Neil Warnock.

But Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric, I can now reveal, had become more than disillusioned during discussions with Warnock's agent about the terms, with the Sheffield United boss wanting pounds 3.5million over three years n way beyond what Mandaric wanted to pay.

Redknapp received a call from a friend and asked to meet Mandaric.

Was he prepared to meet? "Yes, " he said. Mandaric, for his part, knew from Redknapp's brother-in-law, Frank Lampard Snr, that his former manager was keen to return.

Who would have to eat humble pie when these two men, who had fallen out so badly when Harry met Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe and fell in love with Southampton a mere year ago, met up again?

On November 28, long before Portsmouth asked permission to speak to Redknapp, the two men met, quickly dispensed with the past, decided they could work together again and effectively Redknapp had agreed to the contentious switch.

Mandaric explained the situation. He would go through with a previously arranged appointment with Warnock but if Warnock continued to price himself out of the market, then Redknapp would become the preferred choice.

Mandaric said he was not sure of Warnock's commitment in any case, given the difficulty in coming to terms with him and his agent, Haydn Evans.

Redknapp left that two-hour meeting with Mandaric convinced the job would be his n and he wanted it.

Redknapp suspected he would be sacked by Saints in the summer, or at least his contract would not be renewed, and Sir Clive Woodward would be appointed. He knew he had to go before he was pushed.

The next day, November 29, the Daily Express carried the story of the meeting and suddenly there was a colossal surge of betting on Redknapp to become manager. Indeed, one betting exchange has said that in the last few days it took more money on the outcome of the Portsmouth job than on the Grand National.

Perhaps someone n apart from the Daily Express n knew something.

Yet it took some by surprise as Warnock was still widely considered to be a certainty for the job.

Then came the Warnock-Mandaric meeting later in the week, and Warnock announced just before the weekend's Sheffield derby that he had decided to stay at Bramall Lane.

Fratton Park's media machine had claimed our story on Tuesday was not true, but by the end of the week there was a realisation that Redknapp was No 1 choice and there was a U-turn by other newspapers.

When Pompey finally sought permission to talk to Redknapp, it was refused, with Lowe demanding pounds 200,000 compensation and then dropping the fee to pounds 175,000 24 hours later. Still Mandaric refused, saying Southampton should pay him to take Redknapp off his hands.

Redknapp knew he could not manage the team on Saturday at home to Burnley and opted out the night before. He had not officially resigned and football legal expert Mel Stein, former agent and one-time friend to Gascoigne, was summoned by Redknapp to find a solution.

Stein, Gascoigne's protector as well as his agent for a decade before they fell out, was far more intrigued by the complexities of the Redknapp situation than his former protege's latest fall from grace.

Arguably Redknapp could take the issue to the courts. Lowe had clearly appointed Sir Clive Woodward eventually to replace Redknapp, and his position was more undermined at St Mary's than it had ever been at Fratton Park when Mandaric brought in a director of football above him.

But Redknapp would only have had a case for constructive dismissal had he made it an issue as soon as Woodward arrived.

So Stein highlighted the common sense in allowing Redknapp his wish to manage Pompey , and the futility of Lowe trying to keep him from it.

Still paid by Saints, Redknapp's mind and soul was at Portsmouth.

The only way out of this farce was to find a compromise.

Saints stalled and Pompey claimed to be pursuing alternatives, but none of them were realistic. It was a smokescreen. While the media focused on talks with Northern Ireland's Lawrie Sanchez, late on Tuesday night there had been a breakthrough with the two sides reaching agreement.

The Daily Express again was on the ball as we revealed the deal was back on n even though earlier that same day Mandaric insisted it was off.

He claimed his compensation offer of up to pounds 125,000 was fair, and when asked whether he would approach Saints again, Mandaric said: "No, I don't think so. Not at this time. We are charging now towards other candidates. I still expect this week to name a new manager. I am very optimistic." More smoke and mirrors.

And while Mandaric stalled and claimed his targets lay elsewhere, punters continued to pile in on Harry's return to Fratton Park.

Southampton believed Mandaric was trying to pressure them into accepting compensation lower than the pounds 250,000 remaining on Redknapp's contract. They were right.

In the end, the compromise was reached and Redknapp, initially a 20-1 outsider, was home and hosed.

Cue press conference . . . and Mandaric unable to put into words how much it all meant to him.

He was not the only one.

Posted By: SCC 26, Dec 8, 20:16:01