Ian Darke: Portsmouth recruited ‘quantity over quality’ for Championship campaign
Ian Darke says Portsmouth have recruited “quantity over quality” for the Championship campaign and it is “vital” they splash the cash in January.
Pompey sporting director Rich Hughes signed 14 senior players following promotion from League One but have struggled for any kind of rhythm, winning just one of their 14 matches.
TV commentator and Blues fan Darke, speaking exclusively to Pompey News, insists a good winter transfer window is vital to survival in the second tier.
“I think the club have gone for quantity over quality in retrospect. It’s vital they splash out in January to strengthen the team,” he said.
“Having said that, you have to ask the question of who signs up for a relegation fight in the Championship, unless it’s an offer a player can’t refuse. It takes very good recruitment work to get the right people in, in that regard.
“Pompey have been described recently as the ‘paupers’ of the Championship so that might give an indication as to how much or little they have actually spent on the team, despite the numbers they’ve brought in.”
Portsmouth must make do until January
Portsmouth’s “quantity” approach has come to their rescue despite poor results with a horrendous injury list this season and no Under-21 development squad at Fratton Park.
Pompey have 10 league games to go before the January transfer window opens, and EFL clubs can resubmit their 25-man squads for the competition, from which John Mousinho had to omit three players back in August.
Despite bringing in the number of first-teamers they did, the club’s owners, the Tornante Company overseen by Michael Eisner, spent less than £5million on players in the summer.
In other Portsmouth news, an analytical look towards dropping a first-choice defender.
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