Portsmouth's £3million midfielder Papa Bouba Diop has put club before country by opting out of an international friendly against Guinea and a Senegal training camp to rest a damaged hamstring.
Diop, signed from Fulham last month and already a big favourite with the Fratton Park fans after playing a key role in a four-match winning run, told Pompey's official website, www.portsmouthfc.co.uk: "I'm just too tired."
The 29-year-old giant, who had to come off early with a tight hamstring during the 2-0 win over his old club at Craven Cottage a week last Sunday, explained: "It is only a small injury and I should be fine for next game against Wigan (on Saturday). But I thought it was good for me, and good for the team to have some time off rather than go away with the national side. I want to be able to give my best for Portsmouth and sometimes you need a rest to be able to do that."
But while Diop looks certain to continue his ever-present run for Pompey at Wigan, striker Kanu and defender Linvoy Primus still look likely to have to wait for their comebacks.
Primus, 33, feared he had a new problem with the knee on which he had surgery in May, but a specialist has cleared him to return to full training next week and Pompey physio Gary Sadler said: "We were concerned Linvoy had aggravated the old injury or picked up a new one but that's not the case. He is in the gym now building up the muscles around the knee in preparation for a return to training next week."
Primus has not been fit enough for the first-team squad all season and Kanu's knee injury has kept him out of the last three games.
The Nigerian went for specialist treatment in France last week and is reported to be making progress - but the Wigan game appears to be coming too early for him.
04 10 2007
Portsmouth's new midfield powerhouse Papa Bouba Diop is relishing a quick return to former club Fulham on Sunday and insists he has no fear of the hostile reception which players traditionally receive from fans of their old clubs.
There may be no place quite like home for Portsmouth, who have again turned Fratton Park into a fortress this season with three wins in five games and draws against Manchester United and Liverpool, but Craven Cottage has become a home from home for their fans who will pack the Putney End in familiar style this weekend.
They have already snapped up nearly 3,000 tickets - with Fulham responding by releasing an extra 1,000 to them and reminding visitors they can also pay on the day.
And Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp, who will have Diop and Sean Davis, another former Fulham star in his midfield, declared: "Fulham is always a great place to go for us. That away end will be filled up with our supporters and, with the noise they make, it will be almost like a home game for us. We had a terrific 3-1 win there the year we made our big escape from relegation and it was only a last-minute equaliser which stopped us winning again there last season."
Senegal giant Diop, who joined Pompey in a £3million move from Fulham on the last day of the August transfer window, told the club's official website www.portsmouthfc.co.uk: "We go to Fulham confident after the win against against Reading last week. And I'm happy to go back to Fulham because I made a lot of friends while I was there. Changing your club is just a part of football and today I'm very much a Portsmouth player."
The 6ft 5in ball-winner whom Fulham fans nicknamed 'The Wardrobe' during his three seasons at the Cottage, said: "I came here for a new challenge and I'm very pleased with the start I've made. I'm enjoying myself doing the job I'm paid to do - with a lot of very good players around me."
Diop, who made his Pompey debut in a goalless draw with Liverpool, has had a four-match unbeaten run with Pompey - three of them wins, including his appearance as a substitute in the 1-0 Carling Cup success at Burnley and a dynamic performance in the 7-4 romp against Reading.
But he warned: "It will be a very different game at Fulham than the one against Reading. I don't think we will go forward as much and it will be a big test for us because Fulham had a hard game at Chelsea last week and took a good point. Maybe a draw would be a good result for us but I think it will be a good game."
Boss Redknapp, whose team could face former Pompey players Diomansy Kamara, Alexei Smertin and Dejan Stefanovic, has just one major selection dilemma.
His main striker Kanu missed the Reading goal-feast with a knee injury but the Nigerian's replacement Benjani Mwaruwari hit a hat-trick.
Redknapp said: "Kanu's knee is still a bit sore. He has been having treatment and we'll see how he is on the day. Benjani's hamstring is a bit tight and causing him discomfort but if they are both fit it is a nice problem to have."
25 09 2007
Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp paid tribute to striker David Nugent whose 69th-minute winner swept his side into the Carling Cup fourth round with a 1-0 win against Burnley at Turf Moor.
Nugent lashed the ball home to make amends for his 18th-minute howler when he burst clear only to make a complete hash of an attempt to nutmeg Burnley keeper Gabor Kiraly.
Redknapp - who made Nugent available for transfer a matter of weeks after his £6million arrival from Preston this summer - said: "He needed a goal really and it was nice to see him notch. Hopefully David will come on from this. He needs to work hard and take his chances when they come. We've got a bit of competition up there because Kanu has been fantastic and I have got four up front."
Nugent's goal was greeted with strong Clarets protests as the home side protested he had handled the original pass from Pedro Mendes before firing the ball home.
And Burnley boss Steve Cotterill claimed Nugent had admitted the handball. Cotterill said: "Apparently he said to Steve Jordan it was handball. He said it but he could have been saying that to wind Steve Jordan up so we take it with a pinch of salt. It's certainly nothing we're going to be bleating about."
Redknapp shrugged off the incident, insisting he did not have a clear view, and instead paid tribute to his side which featured 10 changes with only Sylvain Distin keeping his place.
Redknapp added: "We were okay in the first half and in the second half we kept the ball quite comfortably. It's always difficult when you make 10 changes and put another team out. We've had a good week. We came up here for two tough games and we won them both. If we get a good result on Saturday it will have been a fantastic start to the season for us."
