James' comeback gives Portsmouth FA Cup final lift

Despite the somnolent, end-of-season feel of the warm sun on their backs, the artistes and artisans were putting in a solid shift at Portsmouth's training ground yesterday.

The artistes were beginning their final preparations for Saturday's FA Cup final with Cardiff. The artisans were busy laying a new 300,000 pitch, which may enable the team to train without wellies in winter, and fitting out the dressing room knick-knacks to be expected of a Premier League club.

Which is good news for Southampton's King Edward VI School, whose Eastleigh facilities Portsmouth have used now for several seasons. Plans have been announced for a new training centre but, for the moment, Pompey remain a club whose progress on the pitch has outstripped that off it.

The rapid development of the playing side is underlined by their Wembley date and yesterday the man responsible for their climb from the brink of what is now League One was relieved to announce that his only selection problem for Saturday was who to leave out.

The England goalkeeper David James has missed the last three matches, but Portsmouth's manager, Harry Redknapp, said: "He's come back to us and was fine this morning."

James confirmed his fitness. "The calf is fine," he said. "I had a scan last Wednesday and the damage had basically healed up. It still wasn't 100 per cent then, that was probably the reason for not playing on Sunday, which was hugely frustrating. I have been doing my usual training this week and everything is A-OK." The 37-year- old, beaten in FA Cup finals with Liverpool and Aston Villa, added: "It is a big relief."

Sol Campbell and Pape Bouba Diop, who sat out Sunday's defeat to Fulham as well, also trained. "Everyone's fit," Redknapp said. The only unavailable player is Jermain Defoe, who is Cup-tied. "I've now got to pick a team," Redknapp added. "It's a difficult time as I may have to disappoint one or two lads who have played in the other rounds."

One player hoping for a place on Saturday is John Utaka, the 7m summer signing from Rennes. The Nigerian winger has scored five goals in 35 appearances this season, but is already setting his sights higher. Much higher.

"There is much more to come from me next season, because this has just been my introduction to the English game," he said. "Now I know how things work, and know the rules, so to speak. I have scored a couple of good goals, but I have not been scoring enough. I look at Cristiano Ronaldo, who is a winger like me, and the number he has scored for Manchester United. Next season I would like to think I can get somewhere close to him when it comes to scoring."

A first FA Cup goal would be a good start. Utaka has won the Egyptian equivalent, the Egypt Cup, with Ismaily in 2000. He said: "It was crazy with all the celebrations. I hope I shall experience that again on Saturday."

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