O'Hara eyes Premier stay

Pompey's loan eager to secure first-team football

Last updated: 12th March 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

O'Hara eyes Premier stay

O'Hara: Keen on more football

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Portsmouth's loan star Jamie O'Hara hopes he has done enough this season to play Premier League football next season.

The talented midfielder is currently on a season-long loan with the Fratton Park club from Tottenham and has impressed greatly on the South Coast.

O'Hara is on a long-term contract at White Hart Lane and admits he will be returning to Harry Redknapp's squad in the summer.

However, O'Hara is enjoying regular first-team action with Pompey and concedes that going back to Spurs is not an option that appeals.

The 23-year-old will have talks with Redknapp this summer and believes he will have to look elsewhere if he is not part of his plans.

Return

"The fans have been fantastic to me here and I have really enjoyed it, but I will be going back to Tottenham in the summer," said O'Hara.

"Obviously, Tottenham is a fantastic club and any person in the Premier League would like to play for them.

"I am a Tottenham fan and I've always loved playing for them whenever I've put the shirt on.

"But I'll have to sit down in the summer, have a chat with the gaffer and see what he wants from me.

"If he feels it's time for me to move, hopefully I've done enough this season for a few clubs to be interested.

"I feel I have done enough this season to be playing in the Premiership and that's what I'll be looking to do."

Honour

Meanwhile, O'Hara, who has been capped at England Under 21 level is mulling over the possibility of playing for Republic of Ireland.

The midfielder qualifies for the nation through his grandparents and has been linked with a spot in Giovanni Trapattoni's squad.

O'Hara admits it would be an honour to represent Ireland and says he will be considering the request in the near future.

"Obviously, there has been some interest and it is a great honour to be asked to play for Ireland," he continued. "I'll look at in the near future.

"I've played for England at U21 level and I've always played as an England player. That's who I wanted to play for growing up.

"It's just something I'll have to look at after the World Cup. I'll sit down and have a discussion with my family, some friends and make a decision.

"I'm English and I'm Irish, so to be asked to play for either is a fantastic honour. I would be proud to wear any of the shirts.

"So when the time is right to make the decision, hopefully I'll make the right one."