My glass is half empty
It has been very tempting this week to post in response to every development at Fratton Park, reacting to every twist and turn in the soap opera that is Portsmouth Football Club. The kind of activity we've seen recently should be a bloggers dream. However, my emotions - I am sure the emotions of every Pompey fan - have been all over the place in the past seven days and my opinions have changed almost hourly. With that in mind, I took the view to wait and to assess the situation after the dust had settled.
Before I go any further, I will make it clear that I am not going to comment further on Redknapp. The only reason I make this point is that some people may think it's strange not to mention him. From all the people I've spoken to, all the comments I've read, all the interviews I've heard it is clear fans are divided on 'Appy 'Arry. Most, myself included, seem torn between wanting to thank him for all he did for us and despairing at the manner in which he left the club.
The concern now has to be what happens to the club and how we move forward. For me, the appointment of Tony Adams was the right decision. We need stability and continuity and Adams gives us that. All I pray is that he is given an abundant supply of the most precious manegerial commodity: time.
I am sure that some players have already made up their mind whether they will be leaving in the next transfer window. If this is the case then their motivation for playing is going to be based around putting themselves in the shop window rather than wanting to win for the fans. I believe some players may want to leave because they think they are bigger than Pompey, and they will be cursing the previous manager for having brought them here only to dessert them. These players may be so demotivated that they decide just to collect their money until the New Year, because they feel someone will buy them whatever form they are in.
Maybe I am doing our squad a great disservice, but at times like these I can't help but be cynical. I guess the point I am trying to make is that the form of the players is a complicated issue right now. I am not sure that we can judge Tony until after January at the earliest because I don't know how much influence he can realistically have on how the players are feeling. Indeed, I think whichever manager came in would have this problem - plus the added hurdle to overcome of not knowing the team
This is why Adams is the right choice in the short term, and I am confident he will be in the longer term. He has a wealth of footballing experience, great respect throughout the game and is a leader of men. I just hope that results in the next few months don't affect his future as manager. This may sound really pessamistic, but I think Adams only target this season should be to keep us in the Premier League. We can then judge him properly next season, when the players that don't want to be here have gone and he has a team that wants to play for him in place.
I know that I am being negative here, but I can't see any light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe I am being harsh in judging our players in the way that I am. But did you see Crouch interviewed on Match of the Day last Sunday? He looked and sounded ready to pack his bags when asked about the HR situation. And while Distin's honesty and openess is refreshing, it is hardly encouraging that he's been quite explicit about how he really only came to the club because of the manager. I don't think our players are bad people, let me make that clear. But until I hear some encouraging words from them I'm going to assume the worst.
I might be being completely unfair to the team, because maybe they wont have a say in whether they're sold. The financial state of the club is still far from clear, and Sasha's long term commitment is in doubt. Even if the club did issue statements about not having to sell players I doubt I would believe it until the transfer window had passed.
If the club does cash in come January then I hope the money raised is earmarked for the new ground rather than splashing out on star names. We need to be thinking long term here, and until we get a new ground with more bodies through the turnstiles each week we will not progress. If the wretched Council block the Horsea proposal then the club needs to face up to the reality of redeveloping Fratton Park. And part of me thinks that wouldn't be such a bad idea. My understanding is that redeveloping Fratton Park would limit us to 30,000 seats - would that really be too little? Are we really going to fill a bigger stadium than this, bearing in mind that we don't sell out every game as it is.
Like I say, I believe Adams is the right person for the job but please give him time. With everyone scoring points this season there are plenty of clubs that could be in the relegation mix. It breaks my heart to admit it, but I forsee turmoil in January and Tony will be doing well just to keep us living the Premier League dream.
Before I go any further, I will make it clear that I am not going to comment further on Redknapp. The only reason I make this point is that some people may think it's strange not to mention him. From all the people I've spoken to, all the comments I've read, all the interviews I've heard it is clear fans are divided on 'Appy 'Arry. Most, myself included, seem torn between wanting to thank him for all he did for us and despairing at the manner in which he left the club.
The concern now has to be what happens to the club and how we move forward. For me, the appointment of Tony Adams was the right decision. We need stability and continuity and Adams gives us that. All I pray is that he is given an abundant supply of the most precious manegerial commodity: time.
I am sure that some players have already made up their mind whether they will be leaving in the next transfer window. If this is the case then their motivation for playing is going to be based around putting themselves in the shop window rather than wanting to win for the fans. I believe some players may want to leave because they think they are bigger than Pompey, and they will be cursing the previous manager for having brought them here only to dessert them. These players may be so demotivated that they decide just to collect their money until the New Year, because they feel someone will buy them whatever form they are in.
Maybe I am doing our squad a great disservice, but at times like these I can't help but be cynical. I guess the point I am trying to make is that the form of the players is a complicated issue right now. I am not sure that we can judge Tony until after January at the earliest because I don't know how much influence he can realistically have on how the players are feeling. Indeed, I think whichever manager came in would have this problem - plus the added hurdle to overcome of not knowing the team
This is why Adams is the right choice in the short term, and I am confident he will be in the longer term. He has a wealth of footballing experience, great respect throughout the game and is a leader of men. I just hope that results in the next few months don't affect his future as manager. This may sound really pessamistic, but I think Adams only target this season should be to keep us in the Premier League. We can then judge him properly next season, when the players that don't want to be here have gone and he has a team that wants to play for him in place.
I know that I am being negative here, but I can't see any light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe I am being harsh in judging our players in the way that I am. But did you see Crouch interviewed on Match of the Day last Sunday? He looked and sounded ready to pack his bags when asked about the HR situation. And while Distin's honesty and openess is refreshing, it is hardly encouraging that he's been quite explicit about how he really only came to the club because of the manager. I don't think our players are bad people, let me make that clear. But until I hear some encouraging words from them I'm going to assume the worst.
I might be being completely unfair to the team, because maybe they wont have a say in whether they're sold. The financial state of the club is still far from clear, and Sasha's long term commitment is in doubt. Even if the club did issue statements about not having to sell players I doubt I would believe it until the transfer window had passed.
If the club does cash in come January then I hope the money raised is earmarked for the new ground rather than splashing out on star names. We need to be thinking long term here, and until we get a new ground with more bodies through the turnstiles each week we will not progress. If the wretched Council block the Horsea proposal then the club needs to face up to the reality of redeveloping Fratton Park. And part of me thinks that wouldn't be such a bad idea. My understanding is that redeveloping Fratton Park would limit us to 30,000 seats - would that really be too little? Are we really going to fill a bigger stadium than this, bearing in mind that we don't sell out every game as it is.
Like I say, I believe Adams is the right person for the job but please give him time. With everyone scoring points this season there are plenty of clubs that could be in the relegation mix. It breaks my heart to admit it, but I forsee turmoil in January and Tony will be doing well just to keep us living the Premier League dream.
posted by Gliiitches at
Monday, November 03, 2008
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3 Comments:
"only to dessert them"?
Did 'Arry throw custard pies at them when he left, or maybe he called them all tarts...
Seriously, good article, but yes - you do come across as a pessimist!
The problem with not selling out every game at the moment is because for the last 5 years Pompey fans who cant afford to commit to season tickets or membership schemes have been conditioned into not bothering to try to get tickets due to their scarce supply.
Tickets have been either sold out or only available in the questionable comfort of the Milton End and even then, blocks of seats to enable you to sit with friends or family have been hard to come by. Most of us are too busy in life be able to remember to phone on a certain day at a certain time to have any hope of entering the scramble for tickets.
A larger capacity would encourage back the people that have felt forced out by the
dominance of season tickets and lack of available seats.
Also having a capacity that could cope with a 30000 average (ie a 40000 capcity stadium) would give Pompey scope to lower the prices slightly and concession rates, further encouraging more fans to attend.
What worries me is that while the current capacity situation exists, a generation of Pompey kids cannot be fully encouraged to develop a lifelong bond with the club.
Cheers guys for reading and commenting.
Anon - not sure about that...although a few people have ended up with egg on their faces :-)
HSBGuzzler - I totally see what you're saying. The system for buying tickets ad hoc is not user friendly or customer focussed.
The last point you make - that is possibly the best, most insightful, hard hitting comment I have heard about PFC. Supporters groups should be arguing this to the club.
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