Nigel Quashie was reunited with former boss Harry Redknapp at Saints yesterday and hit back at suggestions he has only joined the club for the money.

The former Portsmouth midfielder became the third player to join Redknapp in the January transfer window after putting pen to paper on a three-and-a-half-year deal.

Saints will pay Portsmouth £2.1m for the 26-year-old Scotland international who has been hurt by suggestions from some quarters that he has come to St Mary's purely for a wage rise - or simply because Redknapp was the manager.

He said: "I know he's the manager here but if there was somebody else that came in and thought I was capable of giving something to the squad I would probably have made the same decision.

"I feel I can give something to the team and dig in with the boys.

"I've heard people say it's about money - I've been playing football at first team level for ten years and football's been good to me and given me a good life so I don't know where that's come from.

"Why do I want to take three-and-a-half years at a football club to make up for ten years? It's uncalled for.

"I'm happy to come here and give 110 per cent and the Portsmouth fans can't deny I always gave them 110 per cent but now I'm a Southampton player."

Quashie, whose career has taken in spells at QPR, Nottingham Forest and Pompey joined in training with his new teammates for the first time yesterday and admitted he has been shocked by Saints' poor season.

"It's a big surprise they're where they are," said the man set to make his debut against Liverpool on Saturday. "What people have to understand is that football matches don't always go the way you want them to.

"Only Tottenham have given them a tough time and it's always been the odd goal that got the results.

"There's enough excellent players here and it will be a pleasure to work with them."

Quashie became the fourth man to cross the Portsmouth-Southampton divide in recent weeks after Redknapp, Jim Smith and Kevin Bond.

He will be cup tied for the big derby match a week on Saturday and doesn't feel he is making a step down despite Saints being second from bottom.

"One thing I will say is Southampton have been in the Premier League for a long long time," added Quashie. "For Portsmouth it's their second season here.

"Southampton shouldn't be in this position.

"For Portsmouth, the way the club has transformed over five years has been magnificent - Milan Mandaric has turned that club around.

"But as far as I'm concerned I'm a Southampton player now and that's all that matters to me.

"There's 45 points to play for and that's a lot.

"If you can't be motivated for Liverpool or any game in the Premier League you have a problem.

"I came in and saw the boys and everybody's having a joke and a laugh - the atmosphere seems not a problem."

Quashie has scored 18 league goals in 227 appearances plus 22 as a sub for QPR, Nottingham Forest and Pompey in his career.