Pompey’s new era

Sunday, 16/10/2011

by Martin Cooper, Shoot's Portsmouth blogger

Rumours were flying around Fratton Park on Saturday over who might be the next Portsmouth manager (the 16th in less than 14 years) following Steve Cotterill's departure to Nottingham Forest was confirmed the day before.

Pompey and Forest thrashed out a compensation package for SC’s services, thought to be in the region of £250,000.

The timing of the move, on the eve of a game, may have been strange but Pompey owners CSI may feel they have got the club a good deal.

Had Pompey lost to Barnsley in front of the Sky TV cameras, SC may well have been sacked any way after a poor run of results, meaning Forest would get him for free and leaving CSI with a compensation bill to pay up Cotterill's contract instead.
There is no doubt in my mind that Pompey fans owe SC a debt of gratitude. That he kept the club in the Championship last season amid ownership wrangles, transfer embargoes and a squad so small the subs bench was never filled, was nothing short of miraculous.

He leaves the club with an average squad age reduced from 32 to 24, and the club's academy on a much firmer footing under the tutelage of Andy Awford.

However, this season rumblings from the discontents have filled fansite message boards with the main sticking point being SC's brand of football. Pompey fans always prefer their football played on the deck – Pulis got short shrift – and SC's brand of lump it and see was never going to attract fans back to a ground where the previous ownership's ticket policy had led to many staying away.

Caretakers Stuart Gray and Guy Whittingham (who has already ruled himself out of the running as new manager) picked the team to run out in front of the lowest league gate at Fratton Park this season.
Gray and Whittingham made two line-up changes which fans had been clamouring for but which SC had turned a deaf ear to.

Namely, fans' favourite Ricardo Rocha was brought back into the centre of defence to partner Jason Pearce (with Greg Halford swapping to right back) and by playing two up front, with Luke Varney returning from suspension to partner Benjani.

The first-half was similar to most games this season, with Pompey unable to score, but things improved massively after the break and two goals in two minutes finally got the Chimes ringing out around the old ground. A cracker from Norris and a tap-in by Varney after good work by sub Dave Kitson led to a welcome three points.

So while SC spent Saturday watching his new charges lose again at Coventry, Pompey fans left Fratton Park with a feeling of hope and a buzz about the next incumbent.

Wish lists range from the unbelievable – Martin O'Neill (I wish) and Rafa Benitez – to the conceivable – Billy Davies and Paul Ince.

Dave Jones is the bookies' favourite. I like Jones, he is a bit dour but did wonders with Cardiff. His previous employment at the deadly rivals 15 miles down the coast my be a bit much for some Pompey fans to stomach, but a glance at the dug-out on Saturday would have seen another former Saints manager Gray punching the air as Pompey ensured the next chapter in its crazy roller-coaster ride was a winning one.

And if we can forgive and learn to love Alan Ball, we can forgive anyone.

* Martin Cooper is a member of the Portsmouth London Supporters Club http://www.pompeylondon.co.uk Views expressed in this column are his individual thoughts rather than those of the club.

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