Redknapp may delay Peter Crouch's first start for Pompey

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp is refusing to rush Peter Crouch into action after his record move from Liverpool last Friday.

Pompey are on a short pre-season break at Woodbury Park in Devon before heading out to Nigeria next week.

Crouch is on standby to make his first appearance against Exeter City at St James Park on Wednesday night.

"Peter's only trained for two days and he's done an awful lot of running," Redknapp told BBC Radio Solent.

"John Dalziel, the fitness coach, has worked the socks off him. He might just get a little bit of a run-out, but I'll see how he is.

"There's no point in making him play for the sake of it," he added.