Premier League - Portsmouth manager: The contenders

Eurosport - Mon, 09 Feb 18:30:00 2009

Portsmouth are rock-bottom on confidence, have just sold their best players and sacked Tony Adams. Who would want to be their next manager?

2007-2008 Chelsea Avram Grant - 0

It is a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it. We look at the men who could be given the task of saving Pompey from relegation:

Avram Grant - top price 6/4

You might have been laughing at him this time last year, but it turns out he is a much better manager than Luiz Felipe Scolari. Sort of. Knows Fratton Park, having spent the 2006-07 season as Harry Redknapp's director of football, and is looking to get back into management. Doesn't share Redknapp's friendly rapport with the press.

Alan Curbishley - 3/1

Formerly a contender for the England job, Curbishley's acrimonious departure from West Ham obscured the fact that he pulled off a miraculous escape act for the Hammers in 2007. His years of Premier League survival with Charlton Athletic show he is adept at getting the best out of a limited squad.

Paul Hart - 14/1

Portsmouth's caretaker boss Hart might have failed in his last three jobs at Nottingham Forest. Barnsley and Rushden & Diamonds, but Joe Kinnear and Ricky Sbragia show that the man in possession is just a couple of good results away from snaring the big job on a permanent basis.

Sven-Goran Eriksson - 16/1

Svennis is on the brink of parting company with Mexico and would surely enjoy getting paid a large sum to keep Pompey in the Premier League. Cynicism aside, Eriksson has a track record of making his sides play solid - if unspectacular - football, which should be enough to keep Portsmouth up.

Stuart Pearce - 16/1

The man shoved out to make way for Eriksson at Manchester City has rehabilitated his reputation somewhat as manager of the England Under-21s. His ability to work with youngsters could serve him well as the newly cash-strapped Portsmouth look to rebuild their squad.

THE OUTSIDERS (and what they might say in their first pre-match team talk):

Neil Warnock - 20/1: "If it doesn't work out we can always sue West Ham."

Louis van Gaal - 20/1: "What on earth am I doing here? Was I hypnotised?"

Gordon Strachan - 20/1: "I thought Portsmouth fans loved ex-Southampton managers?"

Paul Jewell - 22/1: "At least you're not as bad as Derby. Are you?"

Slaven Bilic - 22/1:"Look, just give it to Kranjcar. OK?"

Darren Ferguson - 25/1: "Hi, Dad... I'm putting you on speaker phone."

Joe Jordan - 25/1: "Just pretend I'm doing Harry's team talk for him."

Glenn Hoddle - 25/1: "Stay up or you'll come back as a donkey."

- - -

Alex Chick / Eurosport

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  1. i hope slaven bilic decides to go to porsmouth lolz

    From Daniel, on Thu 12 Feb 7:43AM

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  4. PORTSC"M IS THE TOILET OF BRITAIN. THEY ARE AN­ EMBARRASSMENT TO THE PREMIERSHIP................THEIR­ GROUND WOULD NOT BE USED BY SPURS YOUTH TEAM AND TO­ HAVE THEM IN OUR LEAGUE IS AN­ OUTRAGE...........................SPURS AND THE REST OF­ THE "REAL" FOOTBALL TEAMS ARE ONLY HAPPY TO­ HAVE THEM THERE BECAUSE IT'S 6 POINTS THROUGHOUT­ THE SEASON THAT ARE ALMOST ASSURED, UNLESS WE FIELD OUR­ SECOND SIDES FOR A RUN OUT....................

    From ROCK AND ROLL, on Tue 10 Feb 12:28PM

  5. Some of these comments are a sad wish list of pathetic­ creeps who want to see Pompey relegated. As for the­ detrimental comments about Portsmouth being not a nice­ place. On the contrary I was stationed there and found­ the city and the people brilliant.Portsmouth for the­ drop! NEVER HAPPEN.

    From Gerry, on Tue 10 Feb 11:37AM

  6. Cameron W. Why do you hope Pompey get relegated? ­ Because you are a @#$%!

    From Lord Dambo of Purbrookshire, on Tue 10 Feb 6:46AM

  7. Give the job to former England beach soccer manager­ Gordon Mitchell of the Isle of Wight, He's a copper­ at Newport and knows more about footie than Harry!!!

    From Richard, on Mon 9 Feb 9:58PM

  8. it is a shame it never worked out for Tony, I hope he­ has a but more success in the future. As for his­ replacement Grant or Curbs. Whoever comes in will have­ just enough time to make things happen, there is a­ reasonable squad at Pompey plenty to get the reqired­ results.

    From Karl, on Mon 9 Feb 9:18PM

  9. cameron w - intelligent comment....wonder what the­ 'W' stands for?
    Feel sorry for Tony but at­ this level; success is life and 2 wins in 16 is death­ penalty form. The team have take a good look in the­ mirror and realise they have hung Tony out to dry. As­ life long Pompey fan i don't want to see a return­ to bad old days of second rate managers getting by. ­ Harry's gone and no love lost, but he left his­ legacy; Tony was not the man to hold it up. Good luck­ Tony and thanks for all your efforts.

    From stephenmackenzie158, on Mon 9 Feb 8:11PM

  10. cameron w, 'I hope you get what YOU deserve, too!

    From Ian, on Mon 9 Feb 7:53PM

  11. I HOPE PORTSMOUTH GET RELEGATED!

    From cameron w, on Mon 9 Feb 7:35PM

  12. I think its a shame about Adams was very good as a­ number 2 and was very good as a captain, but to be left­ as a manager was a but short, why when 2-1 up wouldnt­ you change the team formation and put 5 in mid field­ especialy as te opposition brings on one of the best­ strikers in the world. The team dont look bad just need­ to be tactically aware, and I think a new leader will­ have Pompey finish in Mid table, well lets hope so.

    From davidinkle, on Mon 9 Feb 6:42PM

  13. All aboard for the bustop in hampshire,otherwise known­ as portsmouth

    From andy, on Mon 9 Feb 6:37PM

  14. Sacking the guy after 15 games-ridiculous! They deserve­ to go down.

    From Tony, on Mon 9 Feb 6:33PM

  15. the fact is that funds are now restricted at fratton­ park and so whoever takes the job will almost certainly­ have to do the job with the players we have. therefore­ they are going to need to earn the respect of the­ players quickly. joe jordan already has that and i­ think its time he was given a go.however its not just­ down to the managers, despite what people say we still­ have some top class players, get them more involved,­ crouchy and david james (both experienced­ internationals) should be given responsibity, BUT lets­ not forget Linvoy Primus- this man has shown total­ commitment to the club-lets see some playing assistants­ to the manager (look at english rugby in 2003!!!­ alternatively bring back a duo from my fav season frank­ burrows and colin garwood

    From richard, on Mon 9 Feb 6:26PM

  16. portsmouth are one big joke, see you pompey idiots in­ the championship next season,back were you­ belong.

    you'll end up like leeds(DISGRACE TO­ FOOTBALL)

    From seasons12379, on Mon 9 Feb 6:19PM

  17. David Moyes is a whinging dwarf and always blames the­ referee when his team loses.His accent is also very­ difficult to understand,even for someone fluent in the­ English Language.

    From Perry Neeham, on Mon 9 Feb 6:04PM

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  19. I'd be willing to see Avram Grant in Pompey.

    From The Northerner, on Mon 9 Feb 6:00PM

  20. Harry Redknapp (Portsmouth) - £3m pa

    Jose Mourinho­ (Chelsea '04-'07) - £5.5m pa
    Avram Grant­ (Chelsea '07) - £5.5m pa
    Phil Scolari (Chelsea­ '08) - £5.5m pa

    Jose Mourinho (Inter Milan) - £7m­ pa
    ??
    If Portsmouth want a 'big boy' they will­ have to pay a big boy salary!

    From Macaroo Mac, on Mon 9 Feb 5:54PM
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