Mandaric wants football director

Redknapp and chairman Milan Mandaric held talks to seal the rift that had opened between them after Zajec was lined up as director of football.

"My responsibility will be exactly the same and I've been assured he [Zajec] will not cut across my job in any shape or form," Redknapp said.

Croat Zajec will sit on the board and take the title of executive director.

Mandaric, whose intention to appoint a director of football has angered Redknapp, met the manager at a Portsmouth restaurant on Monday.

"The chairman has assured me that I'm completely in charge of my own job," Redknapp added.

"It's fine with me. We need someone to have a look at players abroad we could follow up on and he will recommend players we can have a look at by scouting abroad.

"But no players will come in without my approval."

The row between the pair has been simmering since Mandaric went public on his desire to appoint a director of football, with Panathinaikos director of football Zajec linked with a similar role at Fratton Park.

A statement from Mandaric read: "A board meeting was called after an earlier meeting with Harry Redknapp and his advisor.

"Harry Redknapp remains manager of the club. That has never been in doubt.

"The board will continue the expansion of the club with the appointment of a new executive director, Velimir Zajec.

"But speculation that he would be joining as director of football was ill-founded."

The pair crossed swords last season when Mandaric said he was keen to appoint a foreign coach, which would have undermined Redknapp's coaching team of Jim Smith and Kevin Bond.

Redknapp won the day on that occasion, and even increased his coaching staff with the appointment of Joe Jordan.