2009/10 Season preview - Portsmouth
2008/09 - This time last year Portsmouth fans everywhere were still basking in the glory of their historic FA Cup triumph as well as looking forward to their first foray into Europe. Fast forward to the summer of 2009 and the picture couldn’t be more different. The 2008/09 campaign firstly saw Harry Redknapp again walk out on the club leaving assistant Tony Adams his first chance of top level management - of which he made a total pig’s ear of. Paul Hart was Pompey’s knight in shining armour as he steered the club to the sanctity of 14th place.
2009/10 - Hart’s caretaker position has since become permanent over the summer, following Arabian billionaire Sulaiman Al Fahim’s recent acquisition of the club. After three months of anticipation for Fahim’s takeover to be completed, Hart has found his plans in the transfer market disrupted and with the club’s finances in total disarray - it’s been a case of shipping the big names and big earners out as the club steady the books. With money tight and the club going through a bit of a transition period, survival is surely the immediate aim for next season.
Transfer campaign - Pompey has seen a total of nine senior players leave the club throughout the summer with key men Peter Crouch, Glen Johnson and captain Sol Campbell all shipped out with cost cutting and debt clearing in mind. The only signings thus far, have been just Steve Finnan and Aaron Mokoena, both experienced Premier League stalwarts captured for free, along with French striker Frederic Piquionne arriving on a season long loan. Beyond that, recent rumours point towards enigmatic hitman Amr Zaki and Reading winger Stephen Hunt as Hart looks to bolster his thin and altogether uninspiring squad.
Players in
Steve Finnan - Blackburn - free transfer
Aaron Mokoena - Espanyol - free transfer
Frederic Piquionne - Lyon - loan
Players out
Peter Crouch - Tottenham - undisclosed
Glen Johnson - Liverpool - undisclosed
Noe Pamarot - released
Jerome Thomas – released
Lauren - released
Djimi Traore - Monaco - free transfer
Glen Little - released
Sean Davis - Bolton - free transfer
Sol Campbell - released
First XI - With almost a month to go until the window shuts, this line-up is likely to change in the coming weeks. John Utaka is unlikely to lead the line when the season really gets going but with him new-boy Piquionne and Kanu the only recognized strikers on the books, the former Rennes man is first pick at present. David Nugent seems to be favoured as a right winger until he finds his shooting boots, while Hart heaps the team’s creative responsibility solely on Niko Kranjcar in the free role behind the striker and Hayden Mullins and Papa Bouba Diop add bite and tenacity to the midfield.
1 James
Finnan - Kaboul - Distin - Hreidarsson
Nugent - Mullins - Diop - Belhadj
Kranjcar
Utaka
The manager - Paul Hart is certainly an experienced and knowledgeable coach, capable of keeping Pompey in the top flight. Whether he is the man to take them to the next level is up for debate, but for now, the ambitions are low and Hart’s steady hand is the right way for Pompey to go at present while they consolidate their Premier League status this coming year. Whispers are Fahim will steadily put money into the club, so Hart will need to prove his talent spotting and transfer know-how to impress his new boss for times of headier ambitions. Fans were inexplicably on Hart’s back last term despite securing the club’s safety, with many claiming his football too ugly and negative. In reality, Hart did a fantastic job to steady the ship following Adams disastrous stay and the unspectacular and down-to-earth coach deserves his chance to lead the club into a new era.
Mr Reliable - After the Blues' tumultuous campaign last year, few can lay claim to being reliable but without Sylvain Distin it’s hard to believe Pompey would still be in the Premier League. The former Man City man is believed to be in line to take on the captaincy following Campbell’s departure and the experienced Frenchman will need to lead from the front once more next term as Pompey bid to remain in the league. Distin’s height, pace and athleticism makes him almost impossible to pass while his leadership qualities have really shone through in the past year or so.
Creative force - Currently, Pompey is almost totally void of any creative spark. The only exception being Kranjcar, whose technical ability and vision is as good as most in the league. He possesses a ferocious right foot and is excellent at spotting the runs of strikers and wingers. During Hart’s reign, Kranjcar has been used in the hole behind the lone striker, as the link between midfield and attack, with much of Pompey’s play coming through the Croat.
Youth prospect - Pompey’s youth system has struggled to churn out the kind of players many of its rivals have in recent years. However, 19-year-old Matt Ritchie is one such player and following a successful stint on-loan at Dagenham and Redbridge last term, the next step is breaking into the Pompey first team. Playing mainly on the left wing, although also comfortable playing in a central attacking role, Ritchie, who was voted Portsmouth’s Young Player of the Year last season, scored 12 goals for the Daggers and with Hart formerly with the Portsmouth academy, he will be desperate to get Ritchie some playing time for the senior side
The fixtures - With such upheaval and change throughout the summer, Pompey's start to the season will be vital for all, from the manager to the players. The first two games against Fulham and Birmingham could make for an excellent start and Hart's men would look to build on some early results with winnable games games at Fratton Park against the likes of Man City, Bolton and Everton before October begins. Daunting trips to the Emirates and Villa Park will be more in hope than expectation, but Pompey's season will know it's their form and games against their rivals that will form their season.
Home grown players - Pompey currently boast an English contingent of just six in a squad of 20 senior players. Amongst those, James is the only one really guaranteed a starting spot while the likes of Mullins, Nugent and youngster Martin Crainie will be knocking on the door. After the departure of Sean Davis, Johnson and Crouch, Hart has made it clear he wishes to buy English to form the spine of the team. Although with the current transfer rate for an Englishman ever increasing, the former Forest boss may well have to delve into the unknown with more continental bargains to add to Pompey's already international squad.
Predictions - The aim for the upcoming season is undoubtedly survival, however, fans are famously more ambitious than their club's hierarchy and with more transfer activity hopefully ahead, a mid-table finish will be most fans aim. This writer is of the belief any kind of survival - be it a final day escape or a little more comfortable is a good result with the club currently building for the future. Fahim's plan is a long term one and the coming season will be one to lay the foundations for some future success. It needs to be a steady process and that process starts with survival. Prediction - 16th
2009/10 Season previews
Arsenal
Aston Villa
Birmingham City
Blackburn Rovers
Bolton Wanderers
Burnley
Chelsea
Everton
Fulham
Hull City
Liverpool
Manchester City
Manchester United
Portsmouth
Stoke City
Sunderland
Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham United
Wigan Athletic
Wolverhampton Wolves
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