Pompeytim
Vital 1st Team Regular
A few years ago two teams met in the FA Cup final. Portsmouth were the Premier League side packed full of stars & very much the favourites to beat the Championship side, Cardiff. And they did.
Fast forward to a cold December in 2013 & the scene has changed. Portsmouth's stars have long since left town. The club now plays Accrington Stanley & are looking worriedly at the table due to fears of yet another relegation to the Conference. The club still plays in the "characterful" Fratton Park & rents its training ground. It is not allowed to pay a fee for any players & makes do on freebies & loans.
Meanwhile Cardiff, in their shiny new stadium, sit outside the relegation places in the Premier League. They have recently spent £11m on one player as part of a £50m strengthening.
So, it's a no-brainer. Cardiff are in the better position. No doubt.
Or is there?
The price of the investment from their benefactor Vincent Tan is complete obedience. Tan wanted to break with a century of tradition & change the club colours from Blue to Red. What Tan wants, he gets.
Tan decides that a much respected manager, MacKay, is spending too much money so sacks the head scout & replaces him with a friend of his son.
Tan decides that MacKay has said too much so now faces the sack despite cup success, promotion & a decent chance of first year Premier League survival.
Pompey on the other hand are owned by the fans & slow but sure steps are being taken to rebuild trust & integrity. There is no chance of a red home kit any time soon.
So, the question is, who really is better off? Would you swap Pompey's lot for Cardiff's?
Fast forward to a cold December in 2013 & the scene has changed. Portsmouth's stars have long since left town. The club now plays Accrington Stanley & are looking worriedly at the table due to fears of yet another relegation to the Conference. The club still plays in the "characterful" Fratton Park & rents its training ground. It is not allowed to pay a fee for any players & makes do on freebies & loans.
Meanwhile Cardiff, in their shiny new stadium, sit outside the relegation places in the Premier League. They have recently spent £11m on one player as part of a £50m strengthening.
So, it's a no-brainer. Cardiff are in the better position. No doubt.
Or is there?
The price of the investment from their benefactor Vincent Tan is complete obedience. Tan wanted to break with a century of tradition & change the club colours from Blue to Red. What Tan wants, he gets.
Tan decides that a much respected manager, MacKay, is spending too much money so sacks the head scout & replaces him with a friend of his son.
Tan decides that MacKay has said too much so now faces the sack despite cup success, promotion & a decent chance of first year Premier League survival.
Pompey on the other hand are owned by the fans & slow but sure steps are being taken to rebuild trust & integrity. There is no chance of a red home kit any time soon.
So, the question is, who really is better off? Would you swap Pompey's lot for Cardiff's?