Redknapp - Johnson is the best

Pompey boss praises defensive star

By Peter Fraser   Last updated: 12th March 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Redknapp - Johnson is the best

Johnson: Redknapp praise

He is quick, powerful, has great ability for a right-back.

Harry Redknapp on Glen Johnson
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Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has hailed Glen Johnson as the best right-back in England.

Johnson was cut from England manager Fabio Capello's final England squad after being named in the initial 30 members for February's friendly victory over Switzerland.

And Redknapp clearly believes Capello's decision to omit the former West Ham and Chelsea man from his revised party was an error as he has described Johnson as the best right-sided full-back in the Premier League.

Johnson is expected to feature in the Portsmouth side which take on Birmingham at Fratton Park on Wednesday and Redknapp is hopeful the 23-year-old will continue his rich vein of form.

Outstanding

"He is the best right-back in the country," Redknapp said. "He is an outstanding player.

"He lacks concentration at times, but when he is switched on he has got everything.

"He is quick, powerful, has great ability for a right-back to run and dribble with the ball, he can cross it and is good in the air.

"There have been times when he has switched off and been a bit casual and has paid the price for it but he is learning."

Important

Johnson joined Pompey last summer for £4million after an initial loan move from Chelsea and Redknapp is confident the defender will receive a call up to Capello's squad for England's next friendly away to France on 26th March.

Redknapp added: "I didn't have any problem persuading him to come here on loan and in the summer he was up for coming back. It has been a great move for him.

"We make him feel important here and he is important for us. At Chelsea, if he made a mistake he was out of the team and it is very difficult to play football when you are under that type of pressure all the time.

"Here he knows that it will take a nightmare run of games for him not to play. I would be surprised if he was not in the next England squad."