My dad’s a real deal ... just like AC Milan!

He's not a performer, he's a serious football man.

Everyone expects the "Happy Harry" routine every time, but all he would have wanted on Saturday night was to have his dinner in front of the FA Cup.

Andy Hooper, our award-winning photographer, might have a rival. Three-year-old Charley Redknapp used Andy's camera to take this picture of his Dad, Jamie, at Wembley on Saturday.

He doesn't much enjoy all the fuss.

Winning the old trophy is the highlight of his career.

It shows that he's the real deal. You can't hold it against him any longer that he hasn't won a major trophy.

Now Portsmouth are in the UEFA Cup next season, alongside AC Milan!

What is "major" success, anyway, when everything is dominated by the top four? Taking Bournemouth into the old Second Division for the only time in their history, winning Championships with West Ham and Portsmouth, taking both those clubs into their highest finishes in the Barclays Premier League.

That was "major" success, too. I'm sorry if you think this is biased but he deserves the trophy. Can anyone question now that he is a top manager?

Portsmouth conceded only one goal on their road to Wembley — the central defenders, Sol Campbell and Sylvain Distin, were both signed on free transfers, as was the semi-final and final goal hero Kanu. Dad knows his way around players.

His team, however, are a strong modern outfit with power and strength. Working with Tony Adams — who does have a big influence — they have created a difficult team to beat. Their last four results in this competition? 1-0, 1-0, 1-0, 1-0.

And that includes the quarter-final result at Old Trafford. Chris Clark of Plymouth was the only player to have beaten the magnificent David James.

It's a different style of play to Harry's days at West Ham, when they had Paolo Di Canio and Joe Cole, but there is still flair and magic, in players like Nico Kranjcar and Lassana Diarra, who did not disappoint us on the big stage of Wembley. Diarra was the best player on the pitch.

Portsmouth are his stepping stone to a return to bigger clubs, but nobody can hold that against him. He looks like a Champions League player to me, but for now he'll be playing in the UEFA Cup.

It was interesting to see Diarra in an advanced role. I'm not sure how comfortable he was with that before the game, but Dad wanted him in and around the Cardiff playmaker, Stephen McPhail, who is a good player but didn't get the space and time he wanted. Diarra made sure of that.

Cardiff had their chances — it was a nervous finale — and their best opportunity came right at the end. I can't tell you what happened, mind you .. because I had my eyes closed!

I went down into the Portsmouth dressing room after the final whistle with Charley, my son, to show him Grandad with the FA Cup.

Dad was fine, in good form but he isn't always cracking one-liners. Maybe you have to know him to realise that.

He can be quite shy, he's not an extravagant man.

He'll be looking forward to a holiday and break now with my Mum, but it will be a working holiday as Portsmouth continue to build for next season.

He enjoys working with the owner, Sacha Gaydamak, and now has the challenge of improving the side and coping with the expectation next season. He'll be up for that

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