Back To Grim Reality

28 June 2010 22:12
England are out, time to turn our attentions back to the team that really needs our support. As a Portsmouth fan I was hoping that this so-called "Golden Generation" of English players could deliver some success after such a difficult domestic season.I mean, it shouldn't be too much to ask, should it? After all, us Pompey fans witnessed a team of ragtag journeymen and unwanted rejects get themselves to an FA Cup Final.Instead, we've had to witness the likes of John Terry and Wayne Rooney, players who have made big contributions to Pompey's misery in the last year, play as if they had just been fished out of League Two.It makes me angry that a team of so-called "World Class" players managed to get things so horribly wrong. Perhaps we can learn a thing or two from the Germans, who all ply their trade in a league which has an attacking philosophy, promotes attractive football and isn't obsessed with money.You can debate why England were so poor until the cows come home but now that the dream of international glory is gone, it's time to turn back to the situation at Fratton Park and prepare for a long, hard season ahead.On the financial front, the performances of Kevin-Prince Boateng for Ghana must have raised his value by a million or two. Nadir Belhadj was arguably Algeria's best player too, so he should fetch a significant fee.On the other hand, John Utaka never even played and Aaron Mokoena's performances for the host nation have been hit-and-miss. I'm hoping that nobody comes in for him and we can keep hold of him for the current season because he should be great in the Championship.My main concern, however, is the future of David James. He stated in a recent interview that he'd like to play Premier League football, and his performances would have convinced the likes of Fulham to take him on for a year or two.If I was David Lampitt, I would be anticipating the imminent departure of David Coles and be saying to James that if he stays here, it will be as player/coach, to give him a route into what he wants to do when he retires.That experience is surely worth more than another season in the Premier League, where he has already achieved what he has wanted to achieve.Of course, for Lampitt to do anything, he has to wait until the registration embargo is lifted and if HMRC appeal the CVA as expected, we may not be able to sign players until August.That means another last-minute scramble to sign players that nobody else wants, and we all know how well that went, don't we?But there are reasons to be optimistic.We should get to see the fruit of Paul Hart's labour with the youth team, young men who will want to prove a point and for the likes of Matt Ritchie and Joel Ward, a chance to represent the club they support.We also have a manager who seems to be able to relate to the working class man a lot more than some of our previous managers. I think, so long as he does a fair job under difficult circumstances, the fans will be right behind him.Nobody is expecting promotion, some may even expect another relegation battle. The good thing about this league is that it's so unpredictable (unlike the Premier League), almost every team in the league will have a reason to think they can make the play-offs but they'll also be wary of falling into a scrap against the drop.Am I looking forward to it? Not yet, but I'm still fixated with the World Cup, hoping Holland can win me some money!After that, I, along every other Pompey fan, will be ready for the long road ahead. The men who represent our club will need all the support we need and I intend to back them as long as they give their all.I'd better get that season ticket renewed....

Source: FOOTYMAD