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Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp fears captain Sol Campbell may end up paying dearly for his fruitless exertions in England's Euro 2008 qualifier in Russia.

Redknapp is concerned about the possible damage to the 33-year-old centre-half's ankle ligaments after England came unstuck on the artificial pitch in Moscow.

After seeing at first hand how the experience has taken its toll, as a precaution, Redknapp is considering leaving Campbell out of Saturday's Barclays Premier League match at Wigan.

"He came back aching from head to foot, and I am wondering how much it has done to his Achilles tendons - which have always given him problems," Redknapp said.

Portsmouth masseur Chris Neville, also part of England's medical team, has been able to update Redknapp on Campbell's condition.

The Pompey boss added: "Sol and I have spoken to Chris - and all we can do with him is massage him over the next few days, then let him out for a little jog, a little loosener and see if we can wheel him out on Saturday.

"But Sol is our captain, our leader - and as bad as I feel about England's defeat, my first thought was about him and how playing three matches in such a short time will affect him.

"I was delighted to see him back in the England team against Estonia last Saturday - because he has done really well - but I've got to admit I was selfish in hoping that it would be John Terry playing on Wednesday night instead."

Redknapp is typically outspoken about the decision to allow the game to be played on the artificial pitch.

"I find it amazing we didn't make more fuss about it - and how UEFA allowed the game to go on there I really don't know," he said.

"They certainly wouldn't play a Champions League final on it. They would have to cover it with a grass surface.

"None of our England players looked comfortable on it. You didn't see much of Michael Owen, did you? It was totally unsuitable for people like Shaun Wright-Phillips and even Steve Gerrard.

"I know Gerrard missed a big chance at 1-0 - but I'm sure that if he had been able to set himself properly for that volley on a grass pitch, he would have scored. His first instinct was making sure he could stand up."

In the circumstances, Redknapp believes England have mitigation for failing to book their place in the finals.

"For our players, it was an entirely different kind of game," he said.

"Steve McClaren, just beaten like that, can't come out afterwards and moan about the pitch - because he will just get 'slaughtered'.

"But I can still remember the bad old days here when you had to go to places like QPR, Preston and Luton, who all had plastic pitches and where you would invariably get smashed."

Campbell appeared to cope well with the surface in Moscow, and Redknapp is confident the former Tottenham and Arsenal star's strong character will sustain him despite the dispiriting defeat.

"I'm still hoping he'll make it on Saturday - because Chris (Neville) said his Achilles did not seem to be too bad - but the worry is that if you get another injury on it now it can really stir things up," he said.

With first-choice deputy Linvoy Primus still making a long recovery from a summer knee operation, Redknapp has Frenchman Noe Pamarot - normally a full-back - on standby to step in if necessary.

But he is still waiting to assess another defender, Hermann Hreidarsson, upon his return from Iceland's surprise defeat by Liechtenstein.