LISTEN HERE
 Jessica Goyder is the latest musician to put her singles on our site. Listen here
| THE INSIDER
 Get the lowdown inside the corridors of power in Oxfordshire here.
| SEND AN OBITUARY
Send us a tribute to someone who has passed away
| ON YER BIKE
 Get the view from the gutter with cycling group Cyclox in Oxfordshire
|
|
|
|
Jim confident of Pompey win
Jim Smith will be at Wembley Stadium today hoping his good friend Harry Redknapp lifts the FA Cup with Portsmouth.
And the Oxford United director (pictured with Harry Redknapp), who was twice manager at Oxford and twice involved in management at Fratton Park, believes their quality will be too much in the end for surprise finalists Cardiff City.
The winner will be the one that best handles the occasion, and Premiership side Pompey should have the players to do that, the Bald Eagle reckons.
"Being strong favourites is very often a problem for teams in the Cup final, it's down to how you deal with it on the day," he said.
"I just feel, as a lot of people do, that it's Portsmouth's year.
"Cardiff have done extremely well to have got to the final, and I had a chat with Dave Jones when we were both at Downing Street the other night and he was saying what a physically strong side they are.
"Cardiff are a good side, but they're a good side in the Championship, whereas Portsmouth are a good side in the Premier League - and that's a big difference.
"It will be, just like it has been with Oxford United, how the teams adapt to the occasion, sometimes when you have no pressure it can be much easier."
Smith managed Portsmouth from 1991-95 and later worked there as assistant to Redknapp, but it's for his own reasons, rather than his friendship with Redknapp, that he wants the FA Cup to be heading down to the south coast tomorrow evening.
"I've been connected with Portsmouth twice and they're a super club, with super people.
"I'm going down to the game on Saturday and am looking forward to it. One of my other teams, Sheffield Wednesday, don't make it to the Cup Final very often, so I'm going to enjoy this occasion."
Welsh striker Matt Green, who struck ten goals in 16 starts with Oxford United last season, is hoping his former club can spring a shock on the day, despite being released by Cardiff earlier this month.
8:00am Saturday 17th May 2008
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: JASON, OXFORD on 5:16pm Sat 17 May 08
WELL DONE POMPEY, BLOODY GREAT GAME. KANU EXELLENT GOAL. YOU DESERVE IT POMPEY!!!!!!! UNLUCKY CARDIFF. HARRY PLEASE STAY!
WELL DONE POMPEY, BLOODY GREAT GAME. KANU EXELLENT GOAL. YOU DESERVE IT POMPEY!!!!!!! UNLUCKY CARDIFF. HARRY PLEASE STAY!
Posted by: pete, Oxford on 8:10am Mon 19 May 08
Its about time Jim Smith stopped swanning around talking about bloody Pompey and directed his energies more towards Oxford United; remind me , he is an O U F C director still I assume. Jim you have had your party at Blenheim, you,ve been to No 10, and you have been on the telly, all week talking about Pompey, now get some bloody new players in for us..................
...
Its about time Jim Smith stopped swanning around talking about bloody Pompey and directed his energies more towards Oxford United; remind me , he is an O U F C director still I assume. Jim you have had your party at Blenheim, you,ve been to No 10, and you have been on the telly, all week talking about Pompey, now get some bloody new players in for us..................
...
Posted by: from one slap head to another, jim smith miracle hair grow - IT REALLY WORKS on 11:03am Mon 19 May 08
PLAY UP OXFORD
OXFORD PLAY UP
anyone got a bell?
WHEN OXFORD WENT TO FRATTON PARK I WAS THERE- mind you their stewards have a few issues
[bold]COME ON YOU YELLOWS[/bold]
PLAY UP OXFORD
OXFORD PLAY UP
anyone got a bell?
WHEN OXFORD WENT TO FRATTON PARK I WAS THERE- mind you their stewards have a few issues
COME ON YOU YELLOWS
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
