Clubs in trouble

[Pants]

I for one would be saddened to see Pompey go into liquidation. How do some of the players live with themsleves taking £80,000 a week a letting the club die?

[Concrete John]

I for one would be saddened to see Pompey go into liquidation. How do some of the players live with themsleves taking £80,000 a week a letting the club die?

I'm sure the immoral money-grabbing mercenaries have a very hard time looking at themselves in a mirror!

[KevinGage]

With out wishing to sound like a bird of prey - swooping down and picking the bones off a hapless victim-  if Pompey are able to sell players, Boateng on the cheap might be a decent option.

[citizenDJ]

Surely they can;t be allowed to sell players out of the transfer window though; I'm sure I heard it had 'slammed shut' some time ago!

Really, it just wouldn't be fair unless everyone benefitted; why should, say, Bolton be allowed to bring in an extra player at this stage of the season when no-one else can?

[dave.woodhall]

Maybe they could sell players on pre-contracts who would still play for them for the rest of the season.

[peter w]

They could hawk players around Russia, or anywhere still on a winter break, as their transfer window hasn't closed.

[JUAN PABLO]

Id have o'hara cheap , If he was their player.. shame he isnt

[PaulWinch again]

I can't see a problem with them being allowed to sell players outside transfer window. It certainly won't help them on the football side, but it might keep the club alive.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I can't see a problem with them being allowed to sell players outside transfer window. It certainly won't help them on the football side, but it might keep the club alive.

Sure but it may help those clubs that can try and buy their way out of trouble.

Pompey should never be in this situation. The blame must lie at the doors of the Premier League/F.A. for allowing them to be bought by anybody who appears to have the cash.

[PaulWinch again]

That is unfortunate, but in reality there isn't a lot of quality at Pompey that'll help other clubs. Maybe Boateng and James, that is about it.

[pdiddybaby]

I for one would be saddened to see Pompey go into liquidation. How do some of the players live with themsleves taking £80,000 a week a letting the club die?

problem is that they were offered these wages, would you refuse it ?

[hilts_coolerking]

Of course you wouldn't, only the most morally superior person would refuse.  And there are none of them involved in football.

There's a good piece about all this by Patrick Barclay on the Times website today.  I'm not sure I entirely understand it but I think he's basically saying the Premier League should pay Pompey's bills so they can finish this season, recoup the money from what would have been next season's parachute payment and then let them find their correct level in the Football League, which in the short term probably means being relegated a couple of times.  

http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2010/02/patrick-barclay-responds-should-premier-league-save-portsmouth.html

[Dave]

That is unfortunate, but in reality there isn't a lot of quality at Pompey that'll help other clubs. Maybe Boateng and James, that is about it.

Belhadj has been linked with Barcelona in the last couple of weeks but yeah, that's probably about it.

Isn't James out of contract now as well?

[pdiddybaby]

I am confused why the PL should save them, Pompey got into trouble by a combination of high wages, mis management and lets say some very dodgy practices.

They should have gone into administration by now the only reason is if they opened up the books some people may be in serious trouble.

Just hope that other clubs learn from this and the PL put tougher rules in place, I doubt that.

[hilts_coolerking]

I am confused why the PL should save them, Pompey got into trouble by a combination of high wages, mis management and lets say some very dodgy practices.

They should have gone into administration by now the only reason is if they opened up the books some people may be in serious trouble.

Just hope that other clubs learn from this and the PL put tougher rules in place, I doubt that.

It would preserve the integrity of the Premier League season (in that matches wouldn't have to be expunged from the records) and Pompey would be saved from extinction which would be great for the local community.

But the PL would get their money back and Pompey would still be 'punished' by in all probability plummeting down the divisions.

I have no idea whether or not there were any 'very dodgy practices' as you say - it's possible of course but I;ve not read anything about that.  They've just been guilty of greed, incompetence and lack of concern for anyone but themselves - which hardly makes them unique in football.

I think Barclay's proposed solution is a good one.