On this day: Portsmouth boss keen to welcome back controversial defender from West Ham

But the Blues boss was keen to welcome back the defender, who was on loan at West Ham at the time.

Ben-Haim made the Upton Park switch in August 2010, with Pompey desperate to reduce their Premier League-sized wage bill.

Since then he had featured in nine matches for Avram Grant's side, although only five have come in the Premier League.

West Ham had still to make a decision on whether to extend the former Bolton man's loan stay or take up the option of making the move permanent.

For the Blues, his reported wages of £36,000-a-week represented a massive stumbling block should he return.

Regardless, he was a player Cotterill would like to see back as he strived to bolster his paper-thin squad.

Speaking to The News, he said: '˜I don't know the answer to whether Tal is coming back or not.

'˜Him coming back over the hill is something I have looked at, but whether that is going to happen or not, I don't know.

'˜I would imagine it will maybe come out this week.

'˜For sure, I would want him here. Anyone would be a good addition to our squad at this moment in time.

'˜When Tal was here before I liked him. I got on well with him, I think he was a nice guy.

'˜I didn't get a chance to have a look at him too much as a footballer but he was a nice guy and I liked him.

'˜One of my last conversations with him was when he was going to play at Havant and then I had a phone call to say he couldn't (because he was off to West Ham).

'˜It was 1.30 to 1.45pm, just after he had finished warming up.

'˜Hopefully, those sort of days are behind us. But I don't know the real answers to whether Tal will stay there or come back.'