Little fine with Fratton loan exit

10 March 2009 16:33
The 33-year-old returns to the Royals just nine months after he left the Madejski to join Pompey on a free transfer. The former Burnley ace enjoyed nearly four years with Reading before leaving for the south coast last summer and now has his sights set on helping Steve Coppell's men achieve promotion at the first time of asking. But despite making just eight appearances in all competitions this season, Little insists he bears no bitterness towards his full-time employers. "There's no grudges or excuses or nothing," he told Sky Sports News. "I would have loved to have played more and I wish he had picked me more but (former Pompey boss) Tony (Adams) was fine." Little explained how easy it became to go from the verge of Europe to fighting the drop all before Christmas as Pompey struggled for form under Adams. "It was a shame for him and a shame for the club that we could not get the results we wanted and then suddenly you're seven or eight without a win," he added. "Then the confidence dips a bit, then mistakes start to creep in and we find ourselves in a tough situation. "In the end, I think the club were possibly disappointed they had to sack him because they would have loved him to do well." Despite feeling that Adams was unlucky to get the axe, the veteran acknowledges that the sacking was just a sign of the times especially in the Premier League. "I know Tony was excited when he got the chance I know he would have loved to have been a success," he revealed. "Unfortunately in the Premier League you don't get long now if results don't go your way. We went from seventh to one place above the relegation zone. "They felt they had to make a change. You never like seeing anyone lose there job but that's football it's a ruthless game if you don't get results you're out." The return to Reading means that Little will miss the decisive relegation run-in down at Fratton Park but he is confident his old team-mates can survive the drop. "I wish them all the best. It's worrying but they have got winnable games," he explained. "They're big games because they're against teams around them. That will make or break them. "If they do well in those games they will be okay. You can never tell but with the quality they have they have enough to get the four of five wins they need." Middlesbro' 6/5, Portsmouth 9/4, Draw 12/5  

Source: Team_Talk