Pompey gloom lifts

Thursday, 24/02/2011

by S.J. Maskell, Shoot's Portsmouth blogger

Six points in two games. Up to fifteenth in the table - with a defence that can keep them out.

Three clean sheets in consecutive games. The defensive line-up of Rocha, Halford, Hreidarsson and De Laet works well. De Laet is showing to be a fortuitous loan with his well-timed tackles. New boy Cotterill looked to be a half-way decent replacement for Utaka up front against Palace.

These games weren’t pretty, although there have been some good passing moves in places, but the team has been effective. Which is what you need at this point in the heavy slog of the Championship. Fans are beginning to enjoy getting behind the team and are feeling optimistic about staying up.

Try to ignore the fact that we only had five on the bench Tuesday night. We have to juggle our loan players to not exceed the quota of four on the field and one on the bench. Fit players had to be left out. Try not to worry that injury to Rocha or Hreidarsson will take us back to the leaky defence that we had before. Forget all that, and good fun can be had at Fratton Park again.

Forgetting isn’t helped by programmes like the SSN Special last Monday. Interesting interviews with Balram Chainrai and Daniel Azougy reignited the pain fans have endured over the last year.

Mr Azougy’s handling of finances led us into administration, his reputation as a convicted fraudster did the club no favours during that time. Mr Chainrai’s reluctant ownership was highlighted once again.

Mr Chainrai is shy of saying how much he wants for the club, but hopes were raised with the suggestion that there are four or five parties interested in buying. New owners are the only realistic chance that Pompey have of developing as a successful football club. Fans can only hope that a  buyout is as imminent as Mr Chainrai suggested.

Mr Lampitt, CEO, held an open meeting with 150 fans on Wednesday. In terms of players who are drawing a salary from the club but not playing; Brown, Hughes and Ben Haim, he said nothing much has changed. This situation is fast becoming farcical for a cash-strapped club and is a legacy of the past.

Mr Lampitt seemed reluctant to discuss anything from before his appointment.

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