Vital Pompey Members Corner

Alan Hansen – I’ve lost some respect

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Image for Alan Hansen – I’ve lost some respect

Having watched the match of the day analysis of our defeat against Fulham jim4pompey is not happy, as Hansen – especially – and Shearer did not judge us on that game.

Often lauded for his decise analysis of what goes on on the hallowed turfs of many a premiership football club he is usually the brains between Lineker’s glib one liners and Shearer’s grunts. But on 15th August 2009 I lost a lot of respect for this man and began to look at perhaps some of those niggles that have always crept into my mind about the man.

What did it for me is what’s doing it for me with regard to most pundits and reporters. Now while I agree that for us our biggest reason for concern is lack of stability off the pitch and the impact it has on worry free unencumbered football, the focus of most pundits is the constant reference to having “sold £75m” of player. The £77m that Hansen used was a new one on me. The focus on players that aren’t here rather than the ones that are. No one is saying well I looked at the Pompey starting eleven and it’s full of unknowns, lacking experience and poorly led. They’re saying look who isn’t there:-

Crouch – (less prolific than Benjani at the time he was replaced).

Defoe – okay useful but I can’t remember any serious goals he scored and missed all of the FA Cup run triumph.

Muntari/ Diarra – okay, these are the BIG BIG BIG loss for me – I’d happily let all the others go to get these two back.

Pedro – love the guy but not that fussed.

Davis – do we honestly see him as a great deal better than Diop or Mokoena (pretty like for like I think).

Johnson – a real loss, but £17m for a right back is good business in anyone’s book and we’re replacing him with arguably a more solid defensive player.

I am honestly not THAT convinced and when I looked at the line up on Saturday I was happy, with the exception of:

Utaka – always worries me but for some reason I’d love to see this guy come good.

Kaboul – nice to see him in the starting 11 but he was out of position which always suggests a problem – having said that, this might become his position if…

Wilson – only because to anyone looking from the outside, the kid is an unknown name at the heart of defence… arguably had a good game and could make the position his own.

… but having strayed wildly from my point… the final straw was the comment – “I wouldn’t be surprised if they went into administration before the end of the season”. WHAT AN IDIOT.

Why would that happen? We have minor debt for a premier league club with a trimmed wage bill and bumper sky revenue. Banks WILL refinance such a small level of debt on a business obviously capable of servicing it as long as spending is commensurate with income (or an owners personal wealth). And ultimately, what did it have to do with the 5 mins of highlights I just watched? What did it have to do with the formation? What did it have to do with the 15 shots on goal, 55% possession, loss of a point but a fluke and the very organised way we seem to have gone about our business? What did it have to do with the “when shall we three meet again” witches of TV punditry joint belief that Pompey were the first name on the card for relegation?

So this led me to the obvious questioning of his “wouldn’t want to be a manager status”. And to my mind growing respect for Paul Hart as a manager – you have to listen to this tripe from an idiot football fans blindly follow and laud as the greatest manager never to have managed. You have the guts to take on Pompey, at this time, with all the troubles there are, while the fans question you at every turn – and this Frankenstein’s monster sits on telly and hides his fear of failure behind the stress of management vs punditry, while telling you your team will go down but cant offer one SINGLE footballing reason for his statement.

Cap dothed – regardless.

And Alan. Sod off. Next time watch the highlights and tell me what you thought, so that I can get an honest footballing opinion as to whether what was on the pitch is capable of keeping us in the league.

Written by jim4pompey.

The views within this article are the views of the individual who wrote and submitted this piece, sometimes solely theirs. They are not necessarily shared by the Vital Pompey Site Journalists.


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