As explored by Scarf on these pages recently and ad nauseam on every other website in Christendom, Portsmouth Football Club isn’t perhaps the most watertight prospective new employer one can think of amid the teeth of global crisis. So, having enjoyed a period of middle eastern exoticism under Avram Grant, it’s the watery gruel of the Championship from now on for Pompey; their choice of manager amply exhibiting the consequences of downsizing.As with their fellow south coasters, Plymouth, I can’t help feeling that Portsmouth may have been better opting for an up and coming manager rather than Steve Cotterill, a…
All posts tagged Championship
A New Man at Coventry: Aidy Boothroyd
Aidy Boothroyd’s recruitment of Gary McSheffrey to the Coventry City ranks is one of those signings it’s tricky to assess. In the middle years of the last decade, the inside forward shone in sky blue, moving on to win a Championship promotion with Birmingham, before finding the Premier League to be a bit too elevated a platform. Nonetheless, turning to an old hero is a classic Boothroyd ploy. Well versed in the psychology of the game, this laying down of a marker so early in his Ricoh tenure will be met with approving nods.The very definition of the word journeyman,…
The Monday Profile: Tommy Smith
Italy’s second round exit at the hands of South Korea in the 2002 World Cup saw the Azzurri’s chickens come home deliciously to roost. Offside decisions may have played their part but after decades of shirt pulling for both club and country, an Italian player was finally penalized; it being significant that this would be at the highest stage. Hence, yesterday’s tug on Daniele De Rossi by Tommy Smith was rightfully punished, even if the former, a man with a dark side to make Dr. Jekyll blush, added to his nefarious reputation in World Cups with a blatant plunge.But Smith’s…
Actions and Consequences: A Cautionary Tale
One of the standout memories of a thoroughly depressing 2001-02 season supporting Stockport County was witnessing a masterly performance by former Croatia international Robert Prosinečki for Portsmouth during their 1-0 victory at Edgeley Park in August. His profuse smoking habit and pre-match burger meant that he never left the centre circle all game, but he nevertheless controlled proceedings for the entire 90 minutes and made County’s own talented midfielders, the intelligent David Smith and Finland international Jarkko Wiss, look like complete amateurs. I remember wondering at the time how Portsmouth, who had for the past few years been a struggling…
The Monday Profile: Ľubomír Michalík
From hereon in for a few weeks, the Monday Profile will be casting its eye over performers and, given that some 28s and 29s are yet to be whittled down, likely performers in the coming Azanian bunfight. The English speaking squads of the US, New Zealand and Australia constitute the most likely places of refuge for Championship personnel, but others will be dotted about the veld and having faced up to the grim fact that Leeds United are unfortunately back among us, we turn our attentions to towering Slovak centre back Ľubomír Michalík.He may not start, and he is on…
Frank Heaven: I had no idea Telford was so big. As you say, it is close to the West ...
Lanterne Rouge: I didn't know these nuggets - cheers for enlightening us Alexandriang...
alexandriang: Another factor is probably that both the TItans and Panthers played th...
P Squires: Interesting read, but '...which by train is comfortably further from L...
Lloyd: An enjoyable, snappy piece of writing Will.
Going through Worcester...
