Jim White

Mrs Grant gets it right

Fri Feb 05 10:12AM

When it comes to a scandal, Tzofit Grant demonstrated this week that she has the right idea. No retreat behind a super-injunction for the wife of Avram, no arranging for long-lens pictures of her blubbing on a beach in Dubai, no contracting Max Clifford to sell her side of the story to the highest bidder.

Instead, the moment news of her husband's visit to a Portsmouth massage parlour became public knowledge, she did what many others ought to do: she laughed it all off. The Israeli television presenter explained that her husband required relief from the tension of managing a "crappy club" like Portsmouth. Can you imagine how awful his day job is, she asked. Who wouldn't, doing what he's obliged to do, need an outlet?

Never mind that he was snapped leaving a massage parlour, she'd be pissed off if he weren't getting a couple of sessions a day. He has long needed a bit of TLC round the shoulders, she said, and is particularly fond of Australian massage. Whatever that may be.

You have to say she has a point. Attempting to galvanise a football team in the circumstances Grant faces must bring on many a tension headache of a kind, a bit like those President Kennedy used to suffer, that needs immediate relief. And since his wife is back in Israel attending to her day job and is not able to assist in the appropriate laying on of hands, what else can a man do?

Grant's headache is not going to improve any day soon. This week the Fratton farce continued its trajectory towards tragedy. The astonishing cast of shadowy proprietors fronting strangely named investment vehicles took another turn when Balram Chainrai, a Hong Kong-based financier at the head of a company no-one has ever heard of before called Portpin Ltd, became the fourth owner of Portsmouth in less than a year.

A reluctant benefactor, he revealed that he had done so in order to protect loans he had made to a previous owner. If the club had continued on its journey into administration, the £17 million he had handed over would be worth not much more than £170,000. He made clear he had no intention of staying around for the long haul and beyond retrieving his loan he had no concern for the future wellbeing of Pompey.

Just what the poor beleaguered fans of the club didn't want to hear. Already this year they have suffered from owners who claim access to vast resources, owners who fantasise about their wealth, owners who have never been seen in daylight and now they have an owner who really only wants to be there to make sure if there is any money going round he gets his hands on it first. Misery.

Still, at least one person this week showed he understands what Portsmouth means to its community and its fans. David James had been in a sort of limbo these past few months, not being picked because to do so would push him over the number of appearances which would trigger a clause in his contract entitling him to a year's extension at £60,000 a week.

In marked contrast to his former England colleague Sol Campbell who demonstrated all the tact of a rogue elephant by issuing penniless Portsmouth with a writ for £1.2m worth of allegedly unpaid image rights, James waived his right to the contract extension. He knew the club couldn't afford it, he said, and added it was about time some of his profession engaged with the real world.

Well said.

Now sure, there is a good, personal reason why James would want to play regularly. England right now is not exactly awash with in-form keepers. Playing behind the worst team in the Premier League will give him ample opportunity to display the kind of skill Fabio Capello will need in June. But even so, his gesture was one Portsmouth needed, a fine one from a good man. As he pointed out, the club gave him some great times, now he needed to repay those memories.

Indeed maybe he should go a bit further. Maybe he and Mrs Grant should get together and form a consortium to take over the club. At least there might be a touch of humility and humour about the place. Besides, there have been significantly less appropriate owners recently. Four of them, actually.

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Mrs Tsofit Grant was born a time when her then Prime Minister statesman had an inhouse mistress - none of this PC nonesense
From isaac_tucker on Fri Feb 05 10:57AM
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She might be saying this in public but I wonder what old Avram will go through when they meet in person. Is it still compulsory for all Israeli's to serve in the military?
From rilez on Fri Feb 05 12:41PM
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Let that be a lesson to our stupid country!
Scandal my a r s e!
From steg_ward on Fri Feb 05 01:10PM
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It was Avram Grant who went to a massage parlour? lol
From tolu_wanile on Fri Feb 05 01:32PM
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Can i point out that the "massage" parlour is not in Portsmouth. But on the outskirts of southampton, close to eastliegh. Where Pompey have there training ground. I wish people would get basic facts right.
From adrianbroadbridge on Fri Feb 05 01:42PM
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I Agree Scandal my a r s e,is it not the press who tout this rubbish to sell a few pages of recycled council tax bills to the masses,complete tosh,bugger off and go and find something to report on that is newsworthy
From john.026 on Fri Feb 05 01:48PM
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She lives in Israel. He lives in England. I am sure the 'massage parlor' in her neighborhood does good business as well.
From riverside_ac on Fri Feb 05 01:49PM
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"Anybody would need relief from managing a 'Cra.ppy club,' like Portsmouth." LMAO. Great to see that Jewish humour still exists and is still funny.
From colberg100 on Fri Feb 05 01:56PM
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David James is a prince. Give him the England captain's armband.
From lawrence43 on Fri Feb 05 02:02PM
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If I was AG I would keep going to the massage parlour daily until those pitiful twats get bored and go. But misery loves company and they will speed off after the next luckless sod.
Three cheers for Mrs Grant.
From julian.pegley on Fri Feb 05 02:08PM
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Can you put up the address of the massage parlour, im a pompey fan and also need some relief , if its good enough for Avram its good enough for me
From nbrian47 on Fri Feb 05 02:32PM
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If only Avram would have been an asylum seeker he would have got a GOVERNMENT GRANT towards his brothel costs
From jackroberts63 on Fri Feb 05 02:36PM
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20 owners in one season cannot save fratton park from the drop this season
From kayodesimeon2002 on Fri Feb 05 03:04PM
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Jack, have you got nothing better to do than listen to this @#$% ??????????????
From brendabulmer34 on Fri Feb 05 03:04PM
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should bring the team next time. they might score then.
From chriswhitakerisarugbygod on Fri Feb 05 03:06PM
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Funniest piece of news of the week... and yes, that's a proper and understanding wife for you... and the man looks like he'd need a few more visits!!!
From jonton26 on Fri Feb 05 03:17PM
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Comment 17. Problem is the poor boys may not be able to afford it as they keep getting paid late. Maybe the owner of the massage parlour could buy Portsmouth. Pompey could then have Durex as their shirt sponsers!!!!!!!!!!!!
From j.essaye on Fri Feb 05 03:19PM
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The Israeli television presenter explained that her husband required relief from the tension of managing a "crappy club" like Portsmouth. Can you imagine how awful his day job is, she asked. Who wouldn't, doing what he's obliged to do, need an outlet?
Couldnt have put it better myself.....COYR
From jude040465 on Fri Feb 05 03:29PM
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Yahoo the BOYCOTT continues! ("crappy club" LMAO)
From anthonymurdock24 on Fri Feb 05 03:37PM
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regarding what is an aussie massage its a bit of the old down under rub
From bernieyorks on Fri Feb 05 03:46PM
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James has shown real strength of character in turning his career round and becoming England No. 1. Now he's standing by Pompey in their hour of need. Character, decent values...he is the ONLY prominent England player alongside Lampard, who is worth the captaincy. I'd give him the armband.
From jepharrison on Fri Feb 05 04:07PM
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do you have to work a week in hand as portsmouth manager,, ????????????
From john20072008 on Fri Feb 05 04:15PM
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What is this load of absolute @#$% Jim White? What a great shame you share your name with a once great snooker player (Jimmy!) What "crappy club" do you purport to support anyhow - Redcrapp's Spuds? Southamp- ton "scum"? or some other "rich" Prem club?
What the hell has Avram Grant's private life got to do with anything - so long as he never does a John Terry?? What the ruddy hell do you know about managing ANY footie club anyway, you ignoramus?? For your info, Pompey fans have - almost universally - been called the BEST fans in the country, despite so much frustration and uncertainty all this last year!.....
.....and hopefully Chanrai's takeover, and seeing the back of Al Mirage, Mark Jacob ("exec"), and Azougy the bent "finance man", will be a GOOD thing for Pompey, at last! just wait 'til after the Court Case next week......... and for yet another owner (hopefully decent and rich this time!), to come from out of the blue!.....so, why don't you stop writing such ruddy @#$% in your "column" and actually go and watch some "crappy" team play? you should be well able to afford the tickets anyway, unlike many of us!
From tony_c_heath on Fri Feb 05 04:19PM
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What is this load of absolute @#$% Jim White? What a great shame you share your name with a once great snooker player (Jimmy!) What "crappy club" do you purport to support anyhow - Redcrapp's Spuds? Southamp- ton "scum"? or some other "rich" Prem club?
What the hell has Avram Grant's private life got to do with anything - so long as he never does a John Terry?? What the ruddy hell do you know about managing ANY footie club anyway, you ignoramus?? For your info, Pompey fans have - almost universally - been called the BEST fans in the country, despite so much frustration and uncertainty all this last year!.....
.....and hopefully Chanrai's takeover, and seeing the back of Al Mirage, Mark Jacob ("exec"), and Azougy the bent "finance man", will be a GOOD thing for Pompey, at last! just wait 'til after the Court Case next week......... and for yet another owner (hopefully decent and rich this time!), to come from out of the blue!.....so, why don't you stop writing such ruddy @#$% in your "column" and actually go and watch some "crappy" team play? you should be well able to afford the tickets anyway, unlike many of us!
From tony_c_heath on Fri Feb 05 04:21PM
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j.essaye, you are about as funny as a £$&*(?!!!!!!.......or watching b****y paint dry!!!!! go back to Southampton "scum".....
From tony_c_heath on Fri Feb 05 04:23PM
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Tony you have confirmed what the 'C' in your name is for you skate, I thought it was funny this is about poopey so it must be as you lot are turning in to a laughing stock. COYR
From fittkitchens on Fri Feb 05 04:49PM
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"almost universally acclaimed as the best fans in the country?! What all 16,000 that go to a 22,000 seater so-called stadium. If pompey are the universally so called best fans in the country how come they dont go to watch the team play then, its kind of a pre-requisite to actually fill your groiund id of thought no matter how bad things are if you want to brag about "best fans" and so forth.
From gorsini1 on Fri Feb 05 04:54PM
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i thought all wives were @#$%, but she prove me wrong ! she is pure class
From baghriche on Fri Feb 05 05:32PM
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Make Grant England manager then players like Terry, Cole, Rooney and Beckham will get more privacy with their sex lives and rename the England 11 ..... Brothel Creepers United hahaha
From carpsoi on Fri Feb 05 06:27PM
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If that's her behind him, does she have a knife in her hand?
From jm_fenwick on Fri Feb 05 06:34PM
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