It has been a difficult season for Portsmouth, a team whose fans were hopeful of seeing their side back in the Championship and potentially on track towards competing in the Premier League once again where they spent their glory days.
They suffered back-to-back relegations from the Championship and League One dropping to the fourth tier in the 12/13 season before returning to the third tier for the 17/18 season.
Since returning to the third tier, they have featured in the playoffs twice after fourth and fifth-place finishes. They would be eliminated in the semi-finals on both occasions and they have not finished in the top half of the third tier since these appearances.
In 2013 following the decline of the club, fan ownership restored fans’ faith in the club, and in 2017, they would win the League Two title to climb back up to the third tier. In March 2021, the appointment of Danny Cowley, a coach with Championship experience, gave the club more hope that they could once again begin their climb up the league system.
Cowley had experience in promotion guiding Lincoln City to the third tier and would guide Huddersfield to survival during his time with the club in the Championship but would go on to leave before the end of that season. Joined by his brother Nicky as his assistant, the pair would spend 22 months at the club before a poor run of one win in nine, which saw the club drop to 12th in the league saw the club part company on 3rd January 2023.
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Portsmouth still sits in the mid-table range and was eliminated from the EFL Trophy by Bolton in the quarter-finals, a poor run of form has seen them fall out of where they hoped to be competing this season. Currently, they sit nine points off the play-off places with some tough games ahead, their last victory in the league came on the 22nd of October at a troubled Forest Green side, and since then the side has picked up six points from a possible 30, which begs the question, what is going wrong at Fratton Park?
A 3-0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers has only worsened things for the club which sees their winless run continue, but not only this, it has seen a worrying form of goalscoring, not only is the club struggling to score but a worrying trend of not even hitting the target is also appearing to take place, in the first half of the game, they failed to register a shot on target, something which continued until late in the second half.
This defeat saw the club fall into 15th and with that, they are now closer to the relegation zone than they are to the playoffs, it is safe to say promotion is not something they will be able to achieve this season.
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The search for Cowley’s replacement continues currently as Simon Bassey is the interim replacement, a permanent manager not being at the helm has not stopped the club from making moves in the January transfer window, however, this is a risky move with no manager at present as the player could not be in the new bosses plans.
The list of names linked with the Portsmouth job seems to grow by the day, and with no clear appointment seeming to come any time soon, it continues to grow the risk of the window being closed before any deals can be made. Almost at the halfway point of the January transfer window and with the need for a new keeper following the recall of Josh Griffiths, who kept seven clean sheets during his loan spell, and a replacement for Josh Koroma, who disappointed during his time at Fratton Park and was sent back to Championship side Huddersfield Town.
Portsmouth have left the decision to appoint a new manager too long, and while you can understand the desire to carefully assess all options before making their choice, half of the transfer window has passed and some players that could potentially have been available for the team may not be available for them anymore.
January is an important month for any club when managers are able to assess the needs of their side, where they need to improve, as well as players who have not performed. Having no manager for this length of time of the window could lead to some panic buys when a new manager comes in, which could potentially cause more harm than good to their performances on the pitch.
Portsmouth fans, do you think your side can still make the playoffs?
Quite right you ask the question what is going on at Fratton Park ? The Club is clearly to blame they stuck with Kenny Jacket to long as with the Cowley’s we hear that Chris Wilder may be interested why would you not as a club explore that option he fits the bill experienced manager did a similar job at Sheffield United big club in the doldrums clear favourite with Pompey fans probably his own man that’s the problem.
Team needs a leader and Chris Wilder’s track record says he could be exactly that! With his appointment the play offs would become possible and then anything can happen.
Chris wilder would be my choice pompey interviewed him before but wasn’t successful