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Defender clamors for Grant's big payday | Portsmouth Football Club may be clouded with controversy, but following this weekend’s hard-fought FA Cup final at Wembley, it’s easy to see some positives from this past season. The club may be heading down to the Coca Cola Championship for next season, but many members involved with the club this season proved that hard work can go a long way.
For this reason, defender Ricardo Rocha believes that Portsmouth manager Avram Grant deserves a job at a big club – even bigger than the West Ham position he is being linked with.
Grant took over the Portsmouth club in a season that eventually saw them go into administration and deducted nine points in the Premier League table. The players were not paid on time, the club’s management was unclear and disruptive, and it was all but guaranteed that the Fratton Park outfit would be relegated.
Nonetheless, Grant managed to motivate his team and will them on to the FA Cup final. Barring the Premier League’s controversial decision to bar them from European competition next season, the club would have found themselves in next season’s Europa League tournament.
“You prove yourself when you’re in difficult conditions and it’s impossible to get more difficult conditions than the ones we have here,” said Rocha.
“I think he proved himself here this season. So I think if he doesn’t stay at Portsmouth he deserves to manage a big club.”
While Grant is being linked with a move to a bigger club, Portsmouth’s players are also questioning their futures.
Rocha said: “Am I leaving? I don’t know what will happen. But I’m out of contract. I am waiting to see.
“We don’t know what will happen to the club with all the debts and still no buyer. We hope for the best.
“It’s a great city and a great club. They deserve to be in the Premier League. We hope Portsmouth come back up next season.
“We are all disappointed. It was a big thing for us to try and win the FA Cup. But we did our best. I think we did the club proud.”
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