Pompey can't afford to reach the FACF

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

Jameo

 

Most players who win the FA Cup look back on the experience with pleasure. But David James, the Portsmouth and England goalkeeper, has mixed feelings about the club’s 2008 victory as he contemplates a chance to return to the Final when Portsmouth face Tottenham Hotspur in tomorrow’s semi-final.

 

While James savours memories of lifting the trophy, he knows that the bonuses paid to the players for qualification for the Uefa Cup helped to create the debts that led to the breaking-up of the Cup-winning squad and the slide into administration.

 

“It has had a terrible effect on the club over arguably the last 18 months,” he said. “Qualifying for Europe was physically damaging for the club. What we spent two years building up as a decent, resilient side was pretty much undone in a couple of months.”

 

Neither he nor those running the club had anticipated the success that would transform one of English football’s most prized pieces of silverware into a poisoned chalice.

 

“To offer people the opportunity of big bonuses to qualify for Europe seems like a pretty safe bet, simply because you do not anticipate winning the Cup,” James said. “Someone offered you a contract and you take it in good faith that the club can afford to pay it.

 

“Had we not won the Cup, bizarrely it would probably have done us a lot better, because we would not have qualified for Europe and would have been able to build on two decent years of progression. Having won the Cup, the financial impact was crippling.”

 

The club’s problems led Harry Redknapp, the manager, to accept the offer to manage Tottenham, tomorrow’s opponents, in October 2008, and to return to Fratton Park for Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch, Niko Kranjcar and Younes Kaboul — four of 12 player transactions between the two clubs since 2006, with others who have moved including coaches, a chief scout and even a video analysis technician.

 

But James does not accept that Redknapp cynically gutted the carcass of his former club. “Harry was a wise man,” James said. “He has taken four good players from us. It was our unfortunate financial position which dictated that. The annoying side of things is they were key players.”

 

James dismissed suggestions that he might have joined the four Fratton Park exiles at White Hart Lane in January as paper talk, but the look in his eye confirmed that it had been more than that. “The August transfer window was sadder because as a group of players it was like: ‘Who’s going to be here tomorrow morning?’

 

“Niko said he was going up to talk to Spurs, but he didn’t think he was going to sign. Then he texted me to say, ‘I’ve signed.’ I didn’t see that one coming, and it was that transfer that encapsulated the state of the club, things that people weren’t anticipating were happening.

 

“The situation was there to be — well, I wouldn’t say to be taken advantage of, but if Harry hadn’t taken them, someone would have. In those four players, he had a large nucleus of Portsmouth’s strongest team. And it has been proved how right it was to acquire them, because Tottenham are doing very well in the Premier League as well.”

 

On paper, Tottenham’s top-six squad should prove too strong for a Portsmouth side that would still be at the foot of the table even if nine points had not been docked for entering administration. “There is little resemblance between the squad in 2008 and now,” James said. “But winning [the Cup] would be an opportunity to get some success out of what has been a pretty miserable season.

 

“It does not matter that we are outsiders, we are preparing to win the game and are confident. On our day, we can play some decent football and can get a result. The reality is that anything can happen. I’ve spent many an hour doing shooting competitions with Crouchy, Jermain and Niko and if they didn’t score a certain number of goals they had to do press-ups — and they did a lot of press-ups.”

 

James was reluctant to look far beyond the end of this season, or to speculate on whether he might play for the club in the npower Championship next season. But Portsmouth have at least made preparations for the future by appointing David Lampitt, the FA’s head of football integrity and a member of Uefa’s club licensing committee, as the successor to Peter Storrie as chief executive. A dose of football integrity, some might say, has been overdue at Fratton Park.

 

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to take up this new challenge with Portsmouth,” Lampitt said. “The club has been through some tough times this season and I intend to bring some stability and transparency to the club’s operations.”

 

Lord Triesman, the FA chairman, said: “Portsmouth’s fans should take comfort in a wise, long-sighted appointment and I wish David every success.”

 

It doesn't get any better

 

Portsmouth players have been told to waive hundreds of thousands of pounds in bonuses if they want to play in the FA Cup Final.

 

As many as six players have been warned that they may never play for the club again after tomorrow’s semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley. Avram Grant, the manager, said he is unaware of the development.

 

Andrew Andronikou, the administrator trying to find a buyer for the troubled club, has told the players that Portsmouth cannot afford extra payments or new contracts that will be triggered should they stay in the first team. He has asked them to give up bonuses of up to £100,000.

 

“Clauses in their current contracts mean that the semi-final triggers a set number of games that either means the player is entitled, automatically, to have his contract renewed for next season, or that it triggers a variety of cash payments ranging from £100,000 to £50,000,” he said.

 

Andronikou has revealed that one player must agree to forgo bonuses before he can face Spurs. “That would be tragic for the player if the team are in the final,” he said. “But it will be the decision of the players, or their agents.

 

“They are going to have to forfeit those contractual obligations or they cannot play again. It does demonstrate the problems that we’re having contractually, but also how everyone is pulling together for the sake of the club. They all want to play.”

 

Andronikou refused to reveal the names of the players involved, but they could include Steve Finnan and Kanu, whose contracts expire at the end of the season, and loan signings including Hassan Yebda, who has already made 20 appearances.

 

Others on or around 25 appearances include Nadir Belhadj (25), Aaron Mokoena (24), Tal Ben-Haim (23) and Hayden Mullins (24). Aruna Dindane, the striker, cannot play after tomorrow’s match without triggering an automatic £4 million payment to Lens. David James, the England goalkeeper, has already forfeited his right to a new contract.

[fyds]

I'm taking me boots down to Fratton park - I may be old and useless by now, but I could still do some damage to Spud's players if I can get a game!

[Sion]

I'm taking me boots down to Fratton park - I may be old and useless by now, but I could still do some damage to Spud's players if I can get a game!

 

You'll be a bit gutted when you find out the game is at Wemberlee