Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric has revealed that Shaka Hislop did not play against Saints at St Mary's last week - because he said he wanted to play for Harry Redknapp again.

Greek goalkeeper Konstantinos Chalkias was handed his Pompey debut at St Mary's just 24 hours after signing from Panathinaikos - despite the availability of Hislop, pictured above, and Jamie Ashdown.

Yesterday, Mandaric used Portsmouth's official website to explain the baffling selection.

He said: "In the morning papers on the day of the game, our keeper stated that he wanted to join Harry.

"How in such circumstances can you play him against the team he stated that he wanted to join on the morning of the match?"

Hislop, who is out of contract at the end of the season, wants to wait until he has seen Mandaric's quotes before commenting.

But last Saturday, he was quoted saying: "It doesn't look like I'm staying at Portsmouth. I'd like to think that Harry would have offered me something if he had stayed - we go back a long way. He has a reputation of being a manager players enjoy working for, and I'd like to work with him again, but I've really given it very little thought."

Chalkias will retain his place against Spurs at White Hart Lane tomorrow with Ashdown set to continue as the number two.

At exactly the same stage last season, Lomana Lua Lua and Eyal Berkovic scored their first Pompey goals in a 4-3 defeat against Spurs at White Hart Lane.

But that is where the dj vu ends.

Lua Lua's four-match ban is not complete until after tomorrow's game, and ex-Saint Berkovic has returned to Israel after being handed a £800,000 pay-off this week.

Meanwhile, former Saints target Mido is targeting a dream Tottenham debut - with a goal against Pompey.

The Egyptian striker joined Spurs ahead of Saints after being offered better wages by the North Londoners.

And Mido, who has moved from Roma in an 18-month loan deal, said: "I'm dreaming of scoring a goal in my first game, because we need to get back to winning ways.

"After one week, I'm happy I made the decision to come here and I'm dreaming of scoring a goal in my first game.

"You know when you go to a new club, the first game and the first goal is very important for confidence."

Spurs are without a Premiership win since New Year's Day and have lost three of their last four in the league.

But boss Martin Jol also pipped Saints to snap up £4m winger Andrew Reid from Nottingham Forest on transfer deadline day, and admitted: "It seemed to be the longest-running transfer talk in the history of football. He'll provide a bit of sparkle on the flanks."