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Harry Redknapp Gives Kanu Freedom to Relive his Former Glories

Nigeria Today
4/4/08

Kanu has never forgotten his introduction to the FA Cup. On his debut for Arsenal, in a home fifth-round tie against Sheffield United in February 1999, he provoked outrage among the visiting team's players when he failed to realise that a throw-in by Ray Parlour was intended to return the ball to United after an injury to one of their players. He crossed for Marc Overmars to score the winning goal. Fortunately, that lapse was soon forgotten, although only after Ars'ne Wenger granted United a replay by way of an apology. The Nigeria forward went on to score 44 goals for Arsenal in 197 matches, helping them to two FA Cup wins, one as part of a Double. So he was in a good position to explain the significance of the competition to other African players who have arrived at Fratton Park and will experience Wembley Stadium for the first time in Saturday's FA Cup semi-final against West Bromwich Albion.

"If you come to this country, the first thing that you know about is the FA Cup," he said. "Nobody can tell you what it means. When you start playing the first time and see how it feels, you know it is an FA Cup game and from then you know what it means." Portsmouth will go into their semi-final as favourites, although few would have expected them to reach this stage at the beginning of the season, or when they were drawn away to Manchester United in the sixth round.

Would that give a third medal added lustre? "I'd say yes because nobody believed we were going to get this far. So for us to be in the semi-finals is a great achievement," Kanu said. "But we are not going to get carried away. We want to make sure we get to the final and win the Cup." Which would mean European qualification for the first time in the club's history. "It would be good for the players and would attract more quality players to Portsmouth," Kanu said. "Last season we were ninth and a lot of players came in. If we can achieve European football, even more players will come."

Before he can consider winning the final, Portsmouth must overcome West Brom, his previous club, where he spent two seasons. Despite Kanu's "miss of the season" from a yard in a match against Middlesbrough, Albion avoided relegation to the Coca-Cola Championship in his first season, but he chose not to renew his contract after the club went down in 2006. Many were surprised that a former Champions League winner would play for a team certain to struggle.

"You have to believe in yourself. Sometimes in life you step down, but then you fight back," Kanu said. "I enjoyed myself and I scored some good goals. The only thing was that it didn't work out for me with the staff. That's football sometimes and you move on." He was a free agent when Harry Redknapp snapped him up for Portsmouth in a signing the manager has often trumpeted as a masterstroke. Not for the first time - think Paolo Di Canio -Redknapp took on a reclamation project that others considered too far gone, but Kanu fitted Redknapp's ideal profile: low risk, highly experienced, and with proven skill.

"He [Redknapp] knows what you can do and he gives you freedom," Kanu said. "If the gaffer believes in you and you are happy then you produce. He is somebody that tries to encourage you with his words. He makes you feel special and pushes you as well. Some coaches know what you can do and believe in you, but they don't tell you. Ask anybody here and they will tell you that we do not play with any fear. We just play our football and whatever happens, happens." But now, against West Brom, they are the favourites in a year of cup shocks. Is the pressure on for once? "Yes, because we do not want to throw it away," Kanu said. "Everyone believes we are going to win, so we don't want to disappoint anybody. To go to Wembley in the semi-finals means a lot. But the greatest thing is to be in the final. That is what we are dreaming of."

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