Milan and Harry set for showdown

Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric will cut short a business trip today to try to patch up his differences with manager Harry Redknapp.

The signs are, however, that the Serb millionaire will find Redknapp in no mood to compromise.

At the heart of their talks will be the futures of assistant boss Jim Smith and coach Kevin Bond. Both men are facing the axe after Mandaric told Redknapp that he wants to introduce a foreign coach and revamp the club's youth system.

Angry that a private discussion with Redknapp has become a public debate,

Mandaric said yesterday: 'I plan to investigate what has been going on while I have been away. 'I feel that I have acted professionally. We need to be ambitious but also have common sense.You only have to look at what has happened at Leeds. They are a great club with great supporters and we don't want to go down that road.' Redknapp, however, wants to keep his management team intact after steering the club to the First Division title and then Premiership safety this season.

As the full extent of their disagreement became public yesterday, Redknapp and Bond failed to appear at Portsmouth's training ground, leaving the players in the hands of Smith.

But Redknapp has made his position on Mandaric's plans clear. He said: 'If he feels we need another coach to help us that's not a problem but he will be someone of my choice. 'I would not stand for someone I don't want to work with. I don't want a European coach. There are enough good lads in this country.

'I have no intention of working with a foreign coach. If I am looking for somebody I will look in England.' Confirming his support for Smith, he added : 'Everyone in football respects Jim Smith. He's loved by everyone in Portsmouth. In the two years we have been together he has been magnificent.' Mandaric has been in Brussels this week, fuelling speculation that he wants to take former Belgium coach George Leekens to Fratton Park.