Former Portsmouth favourite hits out at 'traitor' Harry Redknapp after shock Southampton switch
Lomano LuaLua netted 19 goals in 91 appearances for Pompey, which included two memorable strikes against Sunday’s opponents Southampton.
Lomano LuaLua has branded Harry Redknapp a ‘traitor’ after switching allegiances from Pompey to Southampton in 2004.
And the former Fratton favourite has spelled out what Sunday’s derby should mean to John Mousinho’s men as they prepare to battle for supremacy.
The 45-year-old edged his name into Blues folklore in 2005 when he netted two goals in a memorable 4-1 thumping of their fierce south-coast rivals at Fratton Park.
And LuaLua, who scored 19 goals in 91 appearances for Pompey during a three-and-a-half-year stint, has admitted he felt ‘disrespected and let down’ by the man who first brought him to the south coast in January 2004 after he switched his south-coast allegiances.
Former Pompey favourite hits out at ‘traitor’ Harry Redknapp
In a recent interview with BBC Radio Solent, he said: ‘I don't know why Harry left but for us we saw him as a traitor, especially me because he was like a father for us.
‘Then just out of the blue the man's gone and then suddenly, nothing, no calls, anything just and then he came back with 'them'
‘I felt a bit let down and disrespected by him so for me I took it to another level, I was even injured but I wanted to play.
‘That week it was like everywhere that you go in town everybody's just talking about the game.
‘They would say 'come on Lua, we need to win this game, we can be relegated it doesn't matter, but we cannot lose this game.’
Former Pompey man sends clear message ahead of south-coast derby
During LuaLua’s three-and-a-half-year stay with the Blues, the former DR Congo international appeared in three south-coast derbies - winning two.
Mousinho’s men welcome their bitter rivals to Fratton Park this weekend for the first league meeting at PO4 since December 2011.
And LuaLua has spelled out what Sunday’s contest should mean to Mousinho’s squad as they bid for south-coast dominance.
He added: ‘They should know the importance of that game and not only that, they should know that it's a derby, we can't lose that game.
‘First of all they're supposed to know what it's like to wear that jersey for Portsmouth because Portsmouth is a family and historical place.
‘They should also know how much this game means to the fans so all I'll say to them that you're playing for the badge and you got to win that game and you've got to give everything.’