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By Mitch Phillips
LONDON, May 17 (Reuters) - Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp said keeping the team in the Premier League two years ago was a greater achievement than winning the FA Cup final on Saturday.
Redknapp, in the game as a player and manager for more than 40 years, lifted his first trophy when Nwankwo Kanu's goal beat Cardiff City at Wembley.
"It's a great day in terms of there is glory in winning the FA Cup but in football terms, keeping Portsmouth up a couple of years ago was a bigger achievement," he said of the team's miraculous escape after he returned from a brief spell at local rivals Southampton.
Redknapp said that many people questioned his judgement when he took Kanu from West Bromwich Albion but his faith was repaid on Saturday and in the semi-finals, when his goal against his old club secured a 1-0 win.
"When I got him on a free everyone thought I was mad but he has been great for us," he said.
Cardiff manager Dave Jones had no complaints about the result or the efforts of his players.
"They did everything we asked of them," he said. "We knew our best chance was to take the game to Portsmouth and in the first half we had some good chances.
"One mistake probably cost us the game but we matched them in every department.
"It's difficult to break 4-5-1 down but we did, we created chances, we had a go, and they've gone away with the Cup... it's hard to swallow because we did everything we could."
Jones refused to point the finger at on-loan goalkeeper Peter Enckelman, whose error handed Kanu the chance to score the only goal after 37 minutes.
"It's just something that happened and it happened in the Cup final, he said.
"I don't think anybody can be disappointed... Joe Ledley was magnificent, the back four were magnificent and Aaron Ramsey gave us some legs, he's something special."
Jones, however, recognised that the club still need to add to their squad if they are to improve on their 12th-place finish in the Championship this season.
"It gets harder and harder to compete in our own division, there's been no money for the last few years but hopefully we can use this as a springboard and kick on," he said.
Both managers were united in their praise of the fans and the occasion, the first final not to feature one of the "big four" for 17 years and which produced a terrific atmosphere.
"The fans were brilliant from start to finish," said Jones, "They can be very proud of themselves and they brought back a little bit of pride to the FA Cup."
Redknapp added: "I thought the fact that the Cardiff fans stayed at the end when we collected the trophy was fantastic.
"It was great and if we had lost I would have wanted our fans to do the same."
