Vital Pompey Towers is looking for its fellowship to share some views with us ahead of the new season. I (pompeyrug) will lead by example and step up first.
With the new season almost here it would be nice to get a few last minute answers to a few questions.
First up is the landlord himself, me – pompeyrug…
1 – Are you looking forward to the season? (Expand on more than just ‘yes or no’ please!)
Honest answer, not sure!
I continue to be appreciative that we still have a club, but have to admit that the initial optimism following the PST taking over the club have drifted away – this is not a reflection of them, far from it, more a reflection of where I am in my life and what football holds for me these days…
Plenty has been going on in my private life, so these things have dominated my summer and left me with little time to think football. In all honesty though, even with the season just a week away, I am not ‘excited’ by it, dare I even say looking forward to it!
I have seriously fallen out of love with football in recent years; I might go as far as say I hate it! It is a law unto itself, and I just despise most things about it. The years of pain, suffering and hurt with Pompey have taken its toll but also my own priorities changing have put a different slant on the importance of Pompey for me.
My sincere hope is that when the season does begin I can continue to get the pleasure from it I started to again in the majority of the final months of last season – and no, in case anyone thinks it, us being crap has nothing to do with things. Granted I have not viewed us this low in the football league pyramid but I have seen us pretty crap over the years.
Well, I did say honest answer and in a largest kind of a nutshell I think I have offered up my views…
2 – What are your hopes/expectations for it?
Mainly to just enjoy football again, not just go along and do it as it is ‘something I feel I have to!’
I would not say I am setting expectations too high, but would hope for a top 10 finish. I am not sure it is too much to ‘hope for’ but it would be nice if we can push for the play-offs though.
3 – Which summer signing are you most excited about?
I would genuinely like to think that those coming in now are coming in for the right reasons, they have signed because they want to be with a club that is a big one, definitely in terms of league two standard without a doubt. We do not dish out stupid wages anymore so they are here because the want to.
Lets hope this shows with the on-field performances, and actions off it!
Andy Barcham seems to have something about him, so I hope he could be a match winner, and we need them.
4 – Players we have lost we have lost for a reason but which one, if any; that has gone do you feel we will most miss?
As the question says, most that have gone have gone for a reason and ultimately we will not miss them.
I did like Shaun Cooper, unfortunately for him his failure to want to commit his future to Pompey, preferring to keep ‘his options open’ costs him. He could have added something and I grew to very much like Sam Sodje but what we have will do me so it is time to look forward, not back.
5 – Your tip for the player of the season?
If last season is anything to go by, and assuming he does indeed stay, I would have to say that Jed Wallace should excel at this level and will be instrumental to our season, enough to earn the crown.
6 – Do you plan many, if any, Fratton visits this season?
Well, I would hope so as I have renewed my season ticket – not that, as I write this, it has arrived yet nor have I had any confirmation it has gone through, well other than the money taken by PFC from me!
Boxing Day is never possible from Devon, so that one aside and probably most midweek games I will be there.
7 – Which club, if any, are you most looking forward to coming to Fratton?
Again, honest answer I cannot say there is one that sticks out!
8 – An away day? Is there a club you are most looking forward to us going to?
Keeping it completely honest I am nowhere near as excited about away travel as I used to be, certainly not like my long-term travel companions are – if I do many away I would be surprised…
The likes of Plymouth, Torquay and Exeter will be nice to go to and be there within a short space of time due to my Devon base. Probably Exeter the most enjoyable as the right train could see me from my door to the gates of St James’ Park within 30-minutes!
That is me done, hopefully others will follow suit and fire the answers through to us at VP Towers via email to the address below.
Email us at portsmouth@vitalfootball.co.uk.
PLAY UP POMPEY!
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