Hart basks in winning return

12 April 2012

Caretaker manager Paul Hart admitted he felt "a tingle in the stomach" after leading Portsmouth to a 2-0 Barclays Premier League win over Manchester City.

Hart, who stepped up from his role with the club's youth teams to take over from Tony Adams on a temporary basis, has not managed since 2006 and the former Nottingham Forest boss could not hide his delight after goals from the superb Glen Johnson and Hermann Hreidarsson gave Pompey a much-needed win.

"The thing is, I was brought here to the youth development programme and I really enjoy that," said Hart. "But there was a little bit of a tingle in my stomach that I haven't felt for four or five years."

Asked about any longer-term aspirations, Hart added: "I'm not looking that far. We're planning for next week, doing the training programmes and then we'll see what happens. It's not in my hands really.

"But I'm here, everyone knows where I am. I was asked to step in at a difficult moment for the club and I've been happy to do that."

Hart, whose side made a City team bulging with the attacking flair of Robinho, Elano, Craig Bellamy and Stephen Ireland look pedestrian, was also impressed by the resolve his side showed after a trying week.

"Because I've not been around management for a few years it was a day of not really knowing what to expect. Working with the players for just a day you don't get to see them at full belt.

"You wonder `have you got this right?' that sort of thing. But I saw it in the players' eyes that they were determined and I felt comforted by that."

Hart also praised goalkeeper David James who made one fine save late on in his record-breaking 536th Premier League outing, going past Gary Speed's previous mark.

"He's fantastic. To break that record and then pull off that magnificent save at the end makes it a fantastic day for him. I think that showed how much resolve there was in the team to keep that clean sheet."

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