Fulham 3 Portsmouth 1: Avram lined up as the Adams axe looms

02 February 2009 02:52
Avram Grant, the former Chelsea boss, is being considered by the Portsmouth[LNB]board as a solution to their growing relegation fears.[LNB] Grant could come in as a firefighter to help Tony Adams but is more likely to replace him after a run of eight Barclays Premier League games without a win which has left Pompey just one point away from the drop zone.[LNB]As senior players denied they had lost confidence in Adams after the Craven Cottage[LNB]defeat, Grant was preparing to return to the country for talks in the wake of discussions between chief executive Peter Storrie, senior players and the club hierarchy.[LNB] Grin and bear it: Portsmouth boss Tony Adams tries to smile through the pain as his Pompey side slip to yet another Premier League defeat[LNB]The Israeli, whose last game was the Champions League Final, has been out of work since leaving Stamford Bridge. He is a former director of football at Fratton Park, having worked there when Harry Redknapp was manager. Adams feels the chill - chairman and owner locked in talks over future of struggling Portsmouth boss [LNB]EXCLUSIVE: I'd consider joining Fulham but I want lots of money, insists Pantelic [LNB]Bolton swoop for Portsmouth midfielder Sean Davis in £2m deal [LNB]FULHAM FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB [LNB]PORTSMOUTH FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB [LNB][LNB]Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, Adams was at Fratton Park yesterday to welcome new signing Giovani Dos Santos from Tottenham.[LNB] Easy does it: Erik Nevland slots one past David James in the Pompey goal[LNB] [LNB]He held a heated but constructive inquest with his team after the Fulham defeat but Storrie's decision to canvass the opinions of senior players has left the manager's position looking untenable. Adams seems unlikely to survive far beyond closure of the transfer window, with Alan Curbishley another candidate who could come in before Saturday's home clash with Liverpool.[LNB] Smashing: Andrew Johnson drills one home on a day to remember for Roy Hodgson's men[LNB] But defiant Adams said: 'I'm no runner. I'll still be here until they sack me. This is a fantastic job. We're not getting results but I still love it, every minute of it. It's not hell, it's football. I've been to hell. [LNB]'The wife wants me at home. She'd want me out of a job tomorrow, my missus, but only for child care. Fortunately I love my job. It's difficult, not easy, but I'll get on with it.' [LNB]Pompey fans resisted the temptation to turn on their manager en masse but a handful of them aired their frustrations as he stopped to talk to them after the Fulham game. 'Three months! They're patient, aren't they?' said Adams. 'Hopefully, they'll trust me. They'll let me know if not. I think they understand the situation, what's going on at the club.' [LNB]Adams has seen his best two players, Lassana Diarra and Jermain Defoe, sold in the last month and has accused others of losing their focus. [LNB]With confidence in tatters, normally reliable players are prone to errors, such as Sylvain Distin, who lost Fulham striker Andrew Johnson for the first goal as he tried to step up and play him offside. Younes Kaboul made a similar mistake when Erik Nevland raced away for the second as Pompey keeper David James sprinted out of his goal, hesitated and tried to retreat.[LNB] Feeling Blue: The Pompey defence looked in disarray at times on Saturday[LNB] [LNB]Nevland took advantage of more shambolic defending to put Fulham three up, before a late consolation from David Nugent, who had grounds for a penalty but was turned down. The visitors then vented their fury in the dressing room. 'Of course we exchange words,' said captain Distin.[LNB]Pompey bound? Avram Grant could be about to make a return to English football at Fratton Park[LNB] 'There's a bit of frustration and everybody is a bit hot from worrying about the game. Yes, you have words, but there was no fight. Just because the manager has words with the players does not mean the manager has lost the dressing room. We're not here for excuses, we have to find a solution.' [LNB]Adams did not regret launching an instant inquest with emotions high. He said: 'As a manager, it's my job to share my thoughts and feelings with them. Whether I do it straight after a game, or Monday, or Tuesday, I usually debrief. I try to be constructive.' [LNB]Pompey have won twice since Redknapp left in late October, collecting only 11 points. Another 11 points from their remaining 15 games and they will finish with 35, a total which would probably see them relegated. [LNB]The club is up for sale but their chances of finding a buyer diminish with every defeat and relegation can have dire consequences for a club with heavy debts. [LNB]FULHAM (4-4-2): Schwarzer 7; Pantsil 6, Hughes 7, Hangeland 6, Konchesky 6; Davies 8, Murphy 7, Etuhu 7, Dempsey 8 (Gera 90 mins); Zamora 5 (Nevland 63, 7), Johnson 7.[LNB]PORTSMOUTH (4-4-2): James 6; Johnson 6, Kaboul 6 (Pamarot 76, 5), Distin 5, Hreidarsson 5; Pennant 6, Davis 7, Mullins 6, Traore 5 (Utaka 64, 5); Kanu 5 (Nugent 46, 6), Crouch 6. Booked: Mullins. [LNB]Man of the Match: Simon Davies. [LNB]Referee: Alan Wiley. Adams feels the chill - chairman and owner locked in talks over future of struggling Portsmouth boss [LNB]EXCLUSIVE: I'd consider joining Fulham but I want lots of money, insists Pantelic [LNB]Bolton swoop for Portsmouth midfielder Sean Davis in £2m deal [LNB]FULHAM FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB [LNB]PORTSMOUTH FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB [LNB][LNB] [LNB]  

Source: Daily_Mail