Jamie O'Hara has warned he has no intentions of returning to Tottenham as just a bit-part player following a breakthrough season on loan at Portsmouth, but one which failed to bring a fairytale ending in the FA Cup final at Wembley.
Having now tasted first-team football on a regular basis, returning to warm the bench at White Hart Lane has no appeal.
"They have some fantastic players at Spurs, but I will go back there and see what happens. It is up to the manager whether he wants to keep me," said O'Hara. "No-one likes to sit on the bench. I have proven that I can play in the Premier League by what I have achieved this season."
He added: "I have got to play football every week, the fans have been fantastic and I will really miss playing for them."
Pompey may have ridden their luck at times during the 1-0 defeat on Saturday, especially during the first half, as Chelsea hit the woodwork no fewer than five times, with Salomon Kalou somehow striking the bar from two yards with the goal at his mercy.
Avram Grant's men were handed a glorious chance to take the lead just after the break when Juliano Belletti tripped winger Aruna Dindane in the penalty area.
However, Chelsea keeper Petr Cech made what turned out to be a crucial save from Kevin-Prince Boateng's poor penalty, before Didier Drogba's stunning free-kick secured an historic double for Chelsea and Frank Lampard failed to convert a late spot-kick.
O'Hara reflected: "Everyone wrote us off. They thought we would get hammered, but we made a good account of ourselves and we could have nicked the game.
"We had one great chance in the first half, and then the penalty. Sadly we did not take them.
"But to lose 1-0 in a cup final against a team which won the league is an unbelievable achievement."
Source: PA
