Club Focus - Portsmouth - 2010/11 season preview
After last season’s farcical campaign, Portsmouth head into the 2010/11 season, their first season back in the second tier since 2002/03, with numerous issues still surrounding the club.
Last season
A tale of woe, absurdity and undeniable unity, as Pompey sunk not only to relegation, but also into becoming the first ever Premier League side to enter administration. An FA Cup final lifted the blues for a short while, but 2009/10 is a season the south coast club would like to quickly forget.
The squad
2010 summer transfer campaign
With the club still under a transfer embargo, Pompey cannot officially sign any players. However, the Football League has granted the south coast club special dispensation in order to make up numbers of over 20 for the new season. At present, only Ibrahima Sonko has been brought in on loan, although Stephen Jordan and Jamie Ashdown are due to arrive imminently on free transfers, while David James, Steve Finnan and Nadir Belhadj the notable outgoing players. Expect the likes of Kevin-Prince Boateng, John Utaka and Tal Ben-Haim to follow them out the door soon enough to boost coffers.
The Coach/manager
Steve Cotterill is the new man in charge of steering what is largely a sinking ship. Having impressed at Burnley at this level, he was a widely popular choice, as the fans seem to appreciate his honest, hard-working style. This will be his toughest challenge yet, so he has plenty to prove.
Anchorman
Marc Wilson has proved himself an excellent player in his favoured defensive midfield berth and he will be a massive player for the team this season. His calmness and quality on the ball gives the side a sure footing, and he will be at the centre of most things.
Playmaker
With Kevin-Prince Boateng set to be on his way out sooner or later, Tommy Smith will step into his boots as the chief creator. Smith struggled at times in the Premier League but he has undoubted quality, and is a proven top-performer in the Football League after successful spells with Watford, Derby and Sunderland.
Hot Prospect
Joel Ward will almost certainly make an impact this season. Portsmouth fans got a preview of his talent as he was handed a few run-outs at the back end of last season, and the defender will be looking to take advantage of Pompey’s small squad and cement a place in the team - possibly at right-back.
2010/11 prediction
With so much still up in the air as such, it is difficult to make too many judgements on this Pompey team just yet. As mentioned above, the end of the transfer activity is far from over, so just what side will be playing come September is anyone’s guess. Having said that, a season of mid-table stability would suit everyone just fine after last season’s troubles, but it could well be a slippery slope to League 1 if the next month brings only bad news.
A Different League’s prediction: - 17th
See the full list of OLBG's free Football Tips here.
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