As of the 5th of Jan 2010, players & staff have not been paid for the month of December, which makes it the 3rd wages delay of the season, the news of this latest delay was further compounded by the FA’s announcement to withhold funds of up to £7million pounds to the club and
use them to pay off transfer deal creditors. The money, withheld from TV rights is widely seen as a safety measure to protect clubs who have sold players and are still awaiting the fees from the transactions. As a result of these missed payments, Portsmouth FC have had a trade embargo placed upon them – no buying until they sort the clubs finances out, however they are allowed to sell & with the likes of Kaboul, O’Hara (loan) [a player they wish to return to help them in their survival bid] & Hreidarsson in the squad, chances are they’ll be looking for a way out – not helping with the on pitch relegation battle.
So where did it all go wrong for the 2008 FA cup winners? The general consensus puts the blame at the relatively new club owner Ali Al Fahaj (Al-Fahim having sold up to 40 days after buying), the Arab businessman & Portsmouth fans are not shy to let him know how they feel. What could speculatively look like a case of insider trading has left Portsmouth FC with a mountain of debt and murmurings around Customs & Revenue to call for liquidation & with a hearing set for Feb 10th, the next few weeks could be vital in the clubs survival attempt. The closed door dealings, the manager changes & the flurry of early season buys have tainted the century old club and at present unless an official statement is released from the board of directors regarding the long-term viability of the team things are certainly looking bleak.
Omar Malick
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