Jim Smith has revealed that Pompey fans have asked Harry Redknapp to take charge of Saints.

Following Redknapp's departure from Fratton Park last week and Saints' disappointing 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace, speculation over the weekend saw Redknapp again linked with a move to Saints.

Gordon Strachan, who was at St Mary's on Saturday, has already confirmed it would be too difficult for him to take over at Pompey because of his Saints links.

Smith, pictured left, who was Redknapp's assistant at Portsmouth, said: "This is terrible for the manager there, who's having a bad time.

"I know Steve Wigley and hope he can overcome the problems they have at Southampton.

"But people of the calibre of Harry Redknapp will be mentioned with numerous jobs - that is the nature of the game.

"We're football people. I'd love to manage Sheffield Wednesday because I'm a Wednesday-ite but that wouldn't stop me going to Sheffield United.

"The amazing thing when we left Portsmouth was that some of the die-hard fans there were actually urging Harry to take the job at Southampton.

"They would like to see him back in football in the area he lived."

Smith also went on to say that Redknapp DID leave Pompey because of the appointment of executive director Velimir Zajec despite the former West Ham and Bournemouth boss denying that was the reason for his departure.

"There have been problems in terms of players, what the chairman perceived and what Harry perceived," said Smith speaking the day after Milan Mandaric revealed Pompey spent £3m on agents fees in Redknapps tenure at the club.

"But bringing in Mr Zajec pushed Harry all the way - it was the final straw."

He added: "Harry was never involved in transfer dealings with agents and players - that was all done by the chairman and chief executive Peter Storrie, who will back this up.

"Harry just recommended the players. To take a team from the bottom of the First Division to 10th and 12th in the Premiership - most chairman would have been quite happy to pay that kind of money.

"This has been one of the problems of our stay at Portsmouth. Everything has been done in the newspapers - it should all be done in-house and kept in-house."