Pompey rumours 29/11/08

Portsmouth's cash problems are officially over.


The Sun says the sales are off as Pompey’s cashflow woes will be eased by the arrival of £10million due from bankers following the sale of Sulley Muntari to Inter.

And, with £5m received in compensation for former boss Harry Redknapp’s exit, things are looking up.

The Sun said a source told its reporters: “The Muntari situation was the cause of all the rumours surrounding the club’s financial problems.

“But it was simply a cashflow problem which will now be resolved as a result of a solution being found to release the cash.

“With the money for Harry counted in, the club is now looking to cash in some assets which could see them up to £20million to the good.” - tribalfootball.com

Barcelona want Belhadj to replace Abidal.


Barcelona have watched Nadir Belhadj impress for Portsmouth this season and are considering making a move for him if Éric Abidal does not recover from injury soon.

Belhadj has caught the Catalan club's attention after his outstanding form this season during a loan spell with Premier League Portsmouth from Ligue 1 outfit Lens.

While the 26-year-old is on a season-loan deal with the English outfit, Barça may look to compensate Pompey as well as paying Lens a fee for his services during the January transfer window.

Despite his impressive form this term, Belhadj has rarely settled at any of his previous clubs having had two loan stints and four permanent moves in six seasons.

Able to play either at left-back, where Barça would employ him, or further up field, his credentials would fit in with Barça's desire to sign players able to play in more than one position. - goal.com

Portsmouth boss Tony Adams is ready to sell Sol Campbell.


The pair were pals as players at Arsenal but Pompey skipper Campbell, 34, is fast becoming surplus to requirements, says The Sun.

He is the highest-paid player at the club on £60,000 a week and he could be offloaded as early as the January transfer window.

The former England centre-half, currently sidelined with a toe injury, is out of contract this summer - tribalfootball.com

Pompey v AC Milan photo slideshow

What a game!

Going into the game with AC Milan, I am sure most of us would have taken a 2-2 draw, but following our performance and circumstances, it was a bit disappointing.

I am sure there were many people attending last night's match that were looking forward to seeing some of AC Milan's million pound superstars in action, but it was Pompey's players who were showing to be far more attractive in play.

Nadir Belhadj for one, had the best performance I have seen from a Pompey player in ages, that kind of performance was world class, and was far better than any performance I have ever seen from the money-grabbing Ashley Cole.

Credit to the Pompey fans attending the match, including myself, we were thunderous and definitely made ourselves heard, and I think it's about time we turned Fratton Park back into a fortress. Hopefully we can keep up the support every week in the Premiership, and not just when Ronaldinho and Kaka stroll along.

The performance from both wing-backs was tremendous, I have already spoke of my praise for Belhadj, and Johnson's input to both goals was superb.

Peter Crouch was unlucky not to score with a few efforts, and the partnership with Kanu seemed to work, although I was dreading the thought of the two long-legged lads up front, but it did cause problems for Senderos and Favalli in AC's defence.

Our midfield played well also, with Glen Little throwing his weight around, Bouba Diop's quality passing (well something had to make up for his shooting) and Hughes doing what he does best, destroying the legs of big names, we don't have to worry so much about Diarra, Kranjcar, Defoe or Campbell leaving in the January transfer window - although it would be a big loss.

I also believe we have found our replacement for Sol Campbell in Younes Kaboul, as well as a great header from the centre-back he had a solid performance in defence. Slyvain Distin's captain-like qualities also shined through with 'Big Sol' missing.

Although we seem to have problems with finishing off teams, notably Hull, Wigan, Fulham and now AC Milan, but we are in a situation where if we win both of our last two group games in the UEFA cup then we will definitely qualify.

The performance that we showed last night also proved that we can at least go on and reach the next round, and then we'll see where it goes from there, but our performance was a great credit to Pompey, and to English football.

And to think that only six and a half years ago we were struggling at the bottom of the old Division One.

Well done Pompey, lets push for more success!

Pompey v AC Milan highlights

Here are the highlights of our AC Milan Uefa Cup game
Pompey v Milan

AC Milan name big guns

There was speculation that AC Milan would rest a number of their big stars for the UEFA Cup clash at Fratton Park on Thursday, but AC have included the whole lot.

Although I am nervous about the influence of such brilliant players in the game on Thursday, and especially without Defoe smacking them in, and Diarra riddling around Milan's midfield, I am thoroughly looking forward to seeing the likes of Ronaldinho, Kaka, and Gattuso at Fortress Fratton.

I shall do all I can to try and get a picture with some of the stars, but I am definately crossing my fingers over a 1-0 win for the Blues, with a goal coming from the recently unfortunate Papa Bouba Diop.

The AC Milan squad travelling to Pompey on Thursday consist of:
Abbiati, Dida, Kalac, Antonini, Bonera, Darmian, Favalli, Kaladze, Senderos, Zambrotta, Ambrosini, Emerson, Flamini, Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf, Inzaghi, Kakà, Pato, Shevchenko, Ronaldinho.
Unavailable players: Borriello
Players not called up: Jankulovski, Maldini, Pasini.

The Pompey squad is currently yet to be announced.

'New Fratton Park' plans revealed

The plans for the new stadium moving to Horsea Island have now been anounced on the Pompey website - www.portsmouthfc.co.uk

Here is what has been anounced, It's probably easier to understand than me trying to explain it.

STADIUM MASTERPLAN REVEALED

Portsmouth Football Club (PFC) and Sellar Property Group today announce further evolution of the Masterplan to deliver a stunning Waterfront Stadium and Arena on Horsea Island.

Following a series of discussions with the principal politicians and leading members of the City Council's Executive, PFC and Sellar have identified a two-stage approach as the appropriate way forward to deliver the stadium in the current economic climate.

A former refuse tip will be transformed into a real destination and new home for Portsmouth Football Club.

The landmark stadium will be accompanied by a fashionable mixed-use development. The Masterplan enhances the environmental qualities of this part of Portsmouth while regenerating the area with new life and utilities.

PFC and Sellar Property Group identified this remarkable location on Horsea Island's waterfront as the most suitable site for a new stadium for the club that will act as a catalyst to a wider transformation of the gateway to the city of Portsmouth.

Given the prominent location of the site, which is adjacent to both local and national motorway junctions off the M27 and M275, and the multi-purpose nature of the project, PFC and Sellar Property Group decided upon a two-stage approach to this urban regeneration project.

This followed a series of discussions with the principal politicians and leading members of the City Council's Executive and will ensure on-time completion in the current economic climate.

The first stage of this process will involve the submission of separate planning applications for the Retail and Housing components at Fratton.

The funds generated by this initial stage will then finance the Horsea Island Masterplan, which will contain the new stadium and all-purpose arena.

The dramatic form of the stadium will create a world-class architectural landscape at the gateway to the city of Portsmouth and create a new identity for both the city of Portsmouth and Portsmouth Football Club.

The new stadium sits on the waterfront and acts as the focus for a new destination where people can meet, shop, eat and be entertained, all while enjoying dramatic views of the city.

This exciting intervention will also develop a dramatic new access to an area of the city which has historically been isolated and, in accordance with the naval tradition of Portsmouth, will provide the Royal Navy with a new Diving Centre.

A sustainable approach to energy consumption for the whole Horsea Island scheme will ensure that the scheme generates the lowest possible carbon emissions.

Portsmouth Football Club has already engaged consultancy services from ecologists to ensure the project is delivered following the necessary environmental targets.

Since the new stadium site at Horsea Island was first unveiled in the summer of 2008, there has been much speculation on the scope of the final development. Given the importance of the project, Portsmouth FC and Sellar Property Group want to restate their commitment to deliver not just a new stadium to the Pompey fans, but a new landmark that will enhance Portsmouth's growing reputation as an outstanding tourist destination.

Although still evolving, the Masterplan proposal includes the following identifiable components:

• Herzog and de Meuron-designed stadium with 35,000-plus all-seater capacity including a 3,000-spectator family enclosure, hospitality suites, catering, club offices and shop etc.
• Multi-purpose Arena: 100,000 sq ft (c. 9,300 sq m)
• Four-star hotel: 40,000 sq ft (c. 3,700 sq m)
• Replacement Royal Navy Diving Centre
• Medical centre
• Dental surgery
• Sports rehabilitation clinic
• Casino: 25,000 sq ft (c. 2,320 sq m)
• Budget Hotel: 30,000 sq ft (c. 2,800 sq m)
• Offices: 30,000 sq ft (c. 2,800 sq m)
• Restaurant and catering: 25,000 sq ft (c. 2,320 sq m)
• Residential: approximately 1,000 units
• Retail: 320,000 sq ft (c. 30,000 sq m) plus car parking
• New access to M275 and improved public transport infrastructure and pedestrian access with the potential for a new bridge link to Tipner
• Approximately 3,000 car parking spaces for the stadium and retail and the potential for park & ride with 1800 spaces and approximately 100 coach parking spaces

Portsmouth v Hull City highlights

Here at the highlights of the weekend's draw with Hull City

source: http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk