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Pericard`s Pompey priority (16.12.2005)
www.itv-football.co.uk
Recalled striker Vincent Pericard is ready to give up a place in Cameroon`s African Nations Cup squad to help keep Portsmouth in the Premiership and earn a new contract at Fratton Park.
The powerfully-built former Juventus forward was loaned out to Sheffield United by ex-Pompey boss Alain Perrin but brought back two weeks early by Harry Redknapp for his first match back in charge at Tottenham on Monday.
Pericard, who has fought nearly two seasons against injuries, saw two shots brilliantly saved by Spurs` England keeper Paul Robinson in a 3-1 defeat that plunged Pompey deeper into relegation trouble but earned rave reviews from
Redknapp and will be a key figure in Saturday`s home clash with fellow-strugglers West Bromwich Albion.
And if the 23-year-old target-man impresses again - and also shines against West Ham and Arsenal over the Christmas period - he will have to decide whether to answer a call from Cameroon for the tournament in Egypt next month or stay and aid the fight for survival.
Pompey are already set to lose star man Lomana Lualua to DR Congo and midfielders Salif Diao and Aliou Cisse to Senegal.
Pericard, although capped at Under 21 level by France, recently committed himself to Cameroon, where he was born, but said: "I`m not thinking about that yet.
"It will all depend on first if I am picked and, second if I am playing in the side here.
"I want to stay at Portsmouth but my contract runs out in six months time and up to now there have been no talks about a new one.
"So I know I have to prove myself to the manager all over again even though I was with him in his first spell at the club and the fact that he recalled me as soon as he came back is very encouraging.
"I`ve not really shown what I can do in the Premiership, We had only been promoted a few months when I was injured with my
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thigh. Yakubu was playing well in the side and before I could challenge him I damaged a knee ligament.
"But with luck all that is behind me now. For a 23-year-old I`ve been through a lot. I`ve helped win a championship and taken some bad injuries, but going to Sheffield United on loan did a lot for me. I scored twice and although I didn`t start all the games, I proved to myself that my fitness was back."
Pericard, operating as a lone striker for long spells, ended up on the losing side at White Hart Lane thanks to a controversial late penalty for Spurs.
But Redknapp said: "He showed a great attitude and I knew what I would get from him. At first he found it hard to find his feet but he kept plugging away and, let`s face it I haven`t got too many others to play that role."
Redknapp picked nine players against Tottenham who were in his in his squad before he quit just over a year ago and made the short move to Southampton that he insists he will regret all his life.
But he ignored the claims of £1.5 million striker Collins Mbesuma and restricted Svetoslav Todorov - who scored 27 goals in the Redknapp side that won promotion three years ago - to only a seat on the substitutes` bench.
"Toddy had a very serious injury to his knee. I can still see him doing it just a couple of days before we played our first Premiership game against Villa," said Redknapp.
"But his chance will come and at the moment I`m just operating with the players I know until the January transfer window opens. Hopefully we will be in a position then to make it worthwhile spending some money on strengthening the side."
Redknapp has a fitness doubt over goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown who injured a knee in a clash with Tottenham`s Egyptian striker Mido on Monday and former Liverpool star Sander Westerveld is standing by for a comeback after being dropped after just four games since his move from Real Mallorca.
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