Dan Brett on why he likes the new approach from Pompey, ‘totally committed or don’t bother.’
Following revelations of Ricardo Rocha ‘taking his time’ over a move to Fratton Park, questions have been raised as to what shape the squad will be in come the close of the transfer window on September 1.
Pompey have to meet a Football League players’ quota of 20 first-team staff in order to participate in the division, which at present currently is made up of usual faces from last season, as well as a number of youth prospects all earning their spurs with a stint in the Npower Championship.
The likes of Matt Ritchie, Joel Ward and Nadir Ciftci have all played a large part in Portsmouth’s opening two games of the season, with Dutch-born Ciftci bagging himself two goals, including one on his full debut away at Stevenage in the first round of the Carling Cup.
With Ricardo Rocha still undecided as to where his future lies, it strikes me that ‘honest’ Steve Cotterill is only willing to allow players to don the famous blue shirt if they are committed to the club, and the cause. This, for me, is the right attitude to take for a club with its back against the wall, with more battles to win than just on-field affairs.
Previous similar cases include the likes of Stephen Jordan, who chose a move to Sheffield United on the eleventh hour of the transfer, as well as Anthony Vanden Borre, who spent last season on loan at the Blues, who himself rejected the move, preferring a new challenge in his career.
These decisions cannot be assumed as fault of the management team (which I have seen evidence of from some supporter-based message boards) as if a player isn’t willing to play for the shirt, then personally I’d rather we used a youth player that, even though they may not be ready for this league, would still give their all for the team.
With eleven full days still left of the transfer window, it’s still unknown as to how many players will be willing to join the club, with moves for goalkeeper Darryl Flahavan and former Stoke forward Dave Kitson still on, but one thing forever remains certain.
If players aren’t willing to play for the badge – why let them?
Written by Dan Brett.
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.
