With Portsmouth assistant manager Kevin Bond expected to join old friend Glenn Roeder as Newcastle United assistant manager before the end of the week, speculation is rife that Jamie Redknapp will join the coaching staff at Fratton Park alongside his father Harry.

Jamie Redknapp has worked as a Sky Sports football pundit since retiring from football last season and his time as a Southampton player under his father’s management shouldn’t stand in his way of becoming accepted as a member of the Portsmouth coaching fraternity.

During his time at Tottenham, Jamie Redknapp was often seen giving instruction to other players from the bench and it had been suggested that he would begin his coaching career at the North London club after his career finished but following a swansong at relegated Southampton, he now appears set to follow his father again to the South coast.

It won’t be the first time that Harry Redknapp has looked to his close family for coaching support either as his brother-in-law and former West Ham colleague Frank lampard senior was also his assistant manager while he was boss at the Upton Park club.

Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric, chief executive Peter Storrie and manager Harry Redknapp have all been in to see the FA to questions regarding alleged insider betting on Redknapp’s return to the Fratton Park hotseat from Southampton.

Bookmakers at the time said there had been some unusual betting activity quite soon before Redknapp was announced at a press conference as the new Portsmouth manager and the FA immediately stepped in to investigate the claims of insider betting.

The Pompey trio deny all knowledge or involvement in any irregular betting practices and are adamant they have nothing to prove to the FA.

Redknapp said this weekend: “We have all been up there to see them at the FA over this and we have given them everything they have asked for. They even showed me a list of names of certain people who had placed bets and asked me about them. But I don’t know anything about it. I have done nothing wrong. I didn’t have a bet and that’s an end to it.”

He added: “Unfortunately this just keeps dragging on and, to be honest, I could do without it. I actually think Milan has told the FA now that enough is enough.”

Mandaric said: “All this stuff is absolute rubbish. It is all speculation and I am trying to stay above it all. I have had a lot of discussions with Harry about this and he has nothing to do with any of it.

“How the hell can he tell anyone to go and bet - the final decision was only made 20 minutes before the press conference.”

FA spokesman Andrin Cooper confirmed: “There is an investigation into allegations of insider betting in this case and it is ongoing.”

Milan Mandaric has accused Portsmouth supporters of being the main cause of the rumours suggesting that Harry Redknapp is close to the sack only two months after coming back to Fratton Park.

He claims that he has been bombarded by text messages from the Pompey faithful, firstly calling for Alain Perrin to be sacked and now, after a poor run under his successor, shouting for Harry Redknapp to be dismissed too.

“I got text messages from supporters saying we should get rid of Alain [Perrin] and now I am getting messages saying we should sack Harry,” Mandaric told the Daily Mirror.

He added: “It is a difficult situation because we have spent a lot of money, brought in nine players and ‘Sacha’ [Gaydamak] is yet to see a victory.

“I understand the fans’ frustration but everyone needs to get behind Harry and give him the chance to make it. We still believe there is no better manager out there to get us out of trouble.”

Only two months after returning to Portsmouth from South Coast neighbours Southampton, Harry Redknapp is already facing unsettling rumours about his position as club manager.

Having won only two league games since his return and with Portsmouth sitting in a precarious position eight points behind 17th placed West Bromwich Albion, word had been circulating that new co-owner Alexandre Gaydamak had given the order for Redknapp to be sacked.

Portsmouth have moved quickly to deny the rumour however with a club spokesperson saying: “The club and Alexandre categorically refute the rumours from this report…Harry Redknapp has the backing of everyone at the club and will continue to do so.”