Vital Pompey Members Corner

Looking back/thinking forward with Pompey Malta

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We all support Pompey; we all have an opinion on the club so why not share this? Vital Pompey is looking for answers to a few simple questions, which Pompey Malta has.

Vital Pompey prides itself on the interaction we have with our members.

We like to think that we rarely claim to speak, or even say that we do speak, for all Pompey fans and instead look to gage a wider opinion from our own thoughts shared in that attempt to get the wider views shared by our fellow fans!

As such we welcomed answers to some (ideally all) of the following questions, which Pompey Malta was happy to do.

Here is what they said…

1) Overall thoughts of the 2010/11 season?
This season has been exactly as what I have expected. I never had any serious doubts about relegation and never really thought we could get promoted. However, when things started looking bright, I dreamed about promotion, like many Pompey fans I assume.

2) Who was the player sold or released (in the summer of 2010 or during the season) that we most missed in 2010/11?
I think Kevin Prince Boateng was massive for us last season. Just look at what he has done at Milan. Things could have been different for us if we had him here. We just lacked a natural attacking midfielder this season, and that was evident. Cotterill couldn’t sort out that position.

3) And the player sold or released (in the summer of 2010 or during the season) that we least missed?
No doubt! Richard Hughes. Poor Hughes. I never liked him as a player. I was impressed how poor he could be even in the Championship. Playing him in midfield meant trouble.

4) What did you find good about the 2010/11 season?
Joel Ward. I never thought he was such a talented player. We discovered a great player and that made this season all the more important.

5) And the thing(s) you found most bad?
The Young Players’ exodus. Steve Cotterill moaned and moaned about numbers, and he let all the young ones go. Maybe yes, they weren’t as good as he wanted them to be, but to have 3 substitutes for so many games was embarrassing. And I am sure that Ciftci and maybe Ritchie would have been better than Kitson and Dickinson!

6) How many games did you attend in the 2010/11 season?
Given the fact that I live in Malta, I always have to be happy with one game every season. This year I watched Hreidarsson scoring the winner against Sheffield United (the team Malteser Bogdanovic plays at!) at Fratton Park.

7) Do you have any idea what you plans for attendance in 2011/12 will be?
Again, one game!

8) So, onto Steve Cotterill – what are your thoughts on the boss?
Cotterill, in my opinion he has done a good job in keeping us up, but I think Cotts hasn’t got any experience in dealing with the media. He talks too much and moans a lot too. He reminds me of a certain Harry! The way he dealt with the young ones was also tough to take. These young lads have been here since Paul Hart, and Avram Grant had them here too. I am sure Hart was better in assessing the young talent than Cotterill. Just a thought about the football, at times we were so boring; just kicking the ball upwards.

9) Who did you think was the most impressive loanee we had in 2010/11?
Greg Halford was one of the best players this season. He has grown into the centre back role and was always above average.

10) What about the least effective and impressive loanee Cotterill brought in last term?
This is tough. Sonko and Dickinson were very, very poor. But I’d have to say Sonko. He couldn’t even make the bench. What a waste!

11) Favourite memory/game of 2010/11 was?
Beating Leicester 6-1.

12) What about your worst moment/game in 2010/11?
Tommy’s Smith penalty at the death for QPR.

13) You player of the season for 2010/11 and why?
Joel Ward. He was playing his first ever full season and was instrumental. He faded a bit at the end of the season but he did so when it really didn’t matter.

14) What about the least impressive player of 2010/11? Or should that be worst!
Aaron Mokoena. After what he achieved at the end of the premier league season, I was expecting him to be much better in a lower league. But Moko has disappointed me so much and I can’t see him coming back to that great form.

15) What would be your Pompey hopes, aspirations or expectations for 2011/12?
A good fight for promotion. I want to see us fight and try to achieve something. Playing for a mid table promotion is boring. At least when we were in the Premier League we always had the task of avoiding relegation, but in the Championship, we should be fighting for a promotion play-off at least.

16) And finally add anything else you would like here…
A brief comment about the take-over. I just can’t wait for something to happen. This club needs direction, and unless we have a new owner, we cannot have one. The longer this will drag, the longer we are to wait for anything to happen in the transfer market!

Answered by Pompey Malta.

If answering these questions interests you click here then please email your answers through, with your username, to me on portsmouth@vitalfootball.co.uk.

Previous interviews:
pompeymorris – here.

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