Ian Darke urges Portsmouth board to immediately strengthen in January
Portsmouth have to get January right in order not to unravel the club’s hard work to reach the Championship, according to Ian Darke.
The TV commentator and Pompey fan admits the summer squad overhaul was “a bit of a punt”, as the club spent less than £5million to attempt to build a Championship-ready squad.
The team have been found out on multiple occasions this year, and sit bottom of the pile – albeit with the fewest games played – ahead of Saturday’s Fratton Park contest with Bristol City [7 December].
“I think it’s absolutely vital that having worked for 11 years to get out of the bottom two divisions, they get as good a squad together as possible to try and stay in the Championship,” Darke exclusively told Pompey News.
“I think they’ve got the difficulty now of being bottom – who wants to sign up for a relegation fight in January? You’re talking a limited number of players, unless you come up with blow-out-of-the-water type of money.
“They didn’t get the summer right, they brought in too many players who were a bit of a punt. The team needs immediate strengthening.”
Portsmouth under pressure for January signings
Portsmouth have the biggest squad in the Championship, though with injuries it has not often seemed as such.
Too many players have been blasted as not ready for what the club need at this present time, though this ire tends to be aimed at the hierarchy rather than the signings themselves.
January comes with added pressure as a “last-chance saloon” feeling dawns on the Pompey supporters.
In other Portsmouth news, David Norris says the club should ignore what rivals are doing with their managers.
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