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Pompey confirm Hart sacking

No sooner had I put my article up, after texts and phone-calls, The Pompey Site confirmed that Paul Hart has indeed been sacked.

Like I said on the other article I am genuinely sorry for the guy, although in my heart of hearts I think it was coming and is probably the right call even if I am very surprised that we left it a couple of days after Stoke...

More surprising though are 'claims' that Avram Grant IS NOT taking over, with Darren Ferguson a name that is being pushed further forward?

The following statement was issued...

PLAY UP POMPEY!

Hart Leaves Pompey

Portsmouth Football Club can confirm that Paul Hart has been relieved of his duties as first-team manager.

The decision has been made reluctantly by the board and is based on results that leave the club at the bottom of the Premier League.

Paul was offered the role of technical director, developing players from the ages of 18-21, but declined the position.

The club plans to announce a replacement very quickly and until that time the players will be led by first team coaches Paul Groves and Ian Woan.

Chief executive Peter Storrie said: "Paul has worked under very difficult circumstances with the financial restrictions the club has faced since he took over.

"However, the board feels that the team should have accrued more points to date and that we need a new man in charge to ensure Premier League survival.

"The board would like to thank Paul for his work not only in keeping the club in the Premier League last season but also for his time in charge of youth development.

"Paul is a man of great dignity and we hoped he would stay and help us develop younger players on the fringes of the first team. We are genuinely sad to see him leave. Everyone at the club wishes him well for the future."

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Writer: pompeyrug

Date:Tuesday November 24 2009

Time: 6:14PM

Your Comments

the official word is he was sacked, or 'relieved of his duties', others say he walked away?
so, if grant is not taking over who is? ferguson jnr?

pompeyrug

any chance of the 3rd coming of Arry?

pachna_spurs

in a word, 'NO'...

pompeyrug

"The club plans to announce a replacement very quickly and until that time the players will be led by first team coaches Paul Groves and Ian Woan." Has AG not got his work permit? I would have thought he was the obvious choice to take control - even if only temporarily.

PFCblue

Who do you guys want as your new manager and who do you think you will end up with? Your report mentions the same name that I have heard which is Darren Ferguson, which would seem to fit in with his mysterious departure from Peterborough United the other week. Would he be a popular choice with you fans?

Kevinho

I really feel this is the right decision, but that doesn't mean I'm not sorry to see him go. He did keep us up last season and he has had very difficult circumstances to contend with. Nonetheless, something had to happen, and it was getting overdue. Its a shame he didn't want to stay on and develop the youth, because that appeared to be where his strengths did lie. Good luck to PH in whatever he does now. And good luck to whoever comes in - I'd be suprised if it isn't Grant tbh.

tracyc

I'm so split on this decision. I feel sorry for him because he's done a job that nobody else wanted to do, he got on with it despite having his hands tied behind his back and he did it without us being humiliated. But on the otherhand this is a result driven business and at the rate we're going we would be lucky to end the season with 15 points. Onwards and upwards - hopefully.

stillthewhizz

Well Rug, after all your angst in your article concerning Harty, the decisions been made. Whoever steps in has got his work cut out, that's for sure. Very surprised it's not been an automatic for Grant though, I must say.

cornypomp

i am sorry for hart, very sorry - but we had no option...
i just hope that whoever comes in, and it will surely be grant, comes in with a winning mentality and can push the guys on to attack alittle more with conviction...

fergie has done well with peterborough and mk dons but it just seems too much of a risk and the arrival of grant back along would seem totally bizarre? in all honesty most of us only EVER saw him taking over eventually, which begs the question if times are so hard WHY were we paying him and hart, surely we sohuld be saving money or using it for playing personnel?

pompeyrug

Another chapter in the Pompey soap, there were rumblings that Stoke was his last chance, I think he was never a lucky manager, something we could do with right now, what is Peter Taylor up to?

paultsmouth

Ferguson Jr. has potential, but is still somewhat unproven. It doesn't necessarily follow that the son emulates the father. It would be like singing Brooklyn Beckham to play in midfield.

tracyc

You know what - if it was Ferguson Jr, it would make Saturday's match very very interesting indeed! Sky would wish they'd picked that one up!

tracyc

Really don't want ferguson...

FootyFans

I posted weeks ago that Steve Coppell would be taking over by the end of November. Still time for that to happen.

ninjatim

now that would be an admission that relegation is a certainty - Steve Coppell?

merlin

Why are you guys being so nice about Hart? He was incompetent, tacticaly naive, stubborn and walking away from a club where he has been well paid for years. All football managers and coaches are mercenaries as HR proved. Lets not feel sorry for them. He probably feels he is good enough to walk into another job, well, maybe he can, along side Mokoena in Tesco dog meat isle.

veccccio

Hart has NOT turned down the technical role with the U21s and is said to be considering it over the next few days - per SSN

uktony

seems sensible...my mate who is a Leeds fan said from the start that PH would get them playing decently but with no end product... I suppose we will see Curbs in the role or Fergie2....i just hope THOMMO ON SPN is wrong about Ian dowie...please no.

plymouth graham

Dowie!?

paultsmouth

I still can't see it being anyone other than Grant. Before he came as director of football he was saying he wanted to manage in the EPL again. The D of F thing was just a holding position. Maybe the delay is just technical stuff with his visa etc.

cornypomp

What did I say in the International break, if we didn't win against Stoke? I should have gone to the bookies. No thanks to Fergie Jr,, I bet it's Curbs, At least we know he can manage in either the Fizzy or the Prem (And not very successfully in my opinion) One reason Fergie could get it over Curbs is, wait for it....Money, Curbs would cost big money. Iain Bloody Dowie???? What the hell does tommo know?

pentonpompey

Apparently his visa won't be done till early next week, Still would rather him than any of the muppets linked with us

pentonpompey

Probably never gonna happen but i'd take Harry back for a third time.

pompeyjade

One thing I will say, from where i'm stood..sat...kneeling...sobbing...shaking....banging my head, I do have my concerns about how the team will react. One thing for certain, Paul Hart certainly had the backing of the dressing room. I do worry whoever takes over will have a fight on his hands in more than just one way

pentonpompey

Well I had told the rest of the editorial staff I had been given this tip a couple of days ago if we lost at Stoke. Having said that it was not too hard to guess what would have happened.

In my opinion Harty had an impossible job given that he had to build a new team in three days with no money, any manager would have struggled in those circumstances. But Harty did not complain and tried his best and that is all you can ask of anyone.

Thanks for trying Paul and good luck.

eastneydave

yep, well said dave...

penton that is a BIG worry isnt it - lets just hope that this support was not only for hart, but for the club and the fans aswell so this can carry on under a new manager, but one that can maybe set things up differently to see us play in a way that will create more openings?

pompeyrug

Good news the bloke was ******** hopeless.

TeddyLyon

At long last a decision from the backroom management at Fratton Park. I would be interested who made it! The problem with decision making is the quality of them. Bad decision to hire Hart, good decision to sack him. How good will the decision to employ someone who can sort out this team and plan our future? How about this for a scenario, Avram Grant is a big pal of Roman Abramovich, and Roman's best mate in football is Gus Hiddink. Hiddink is out of a job, and loved managing in the PL. What if they could persuade him to take on Pompey until the end of the season, and then review. What are the odd's Rug?

Mike1954

Very bloody long I'd say. Guus Hiddink could manage any team in the world. Why us? The fantastic ground?

stillthewhizz

oh if only we could be that lucky Mike - i would absolutely love hiddink, if only eh...

REMINDER - vital towers is having work done overnight so the site will be down in the early hours until wednesday at 9am...

pompeyrug

Why us? stillthewhizz, Hiddink would have nothing to lose, and he would love the challenge. What we don't need is just another manager, we need proven quality. Storrie and his cronies need to think hard about about this appointment. Personally, I wouldn't want any of those in the poll on our site.

Mike1954

we have to be realistic tho, right? those in the poll probably are the most realistic are they not...

pompeyrug

Couldn't agree more rug. Unfortunatly I think we will appoint someone like those you have suggested. I just think Storrie and co. should be a bit more creative this time. They should expand the scope of their thinking and make a really dynamic appointment. If they really want an ambitious future, then there is no better time for them to prove it. After all the misery we have been through this Summer/Autumn, they should be trying to re-ignite PFC into an exciting place again. A really dynamic Manager would give us all belief that we have a great future.

Mike1954

they might surprise us you never know, but i will not be holding my voice tbh...

pompeyrug

i will also not be holding my breath :-)

pompeyrug

I am scared. I would have wanted Hart all the way. The team will now be reshuffled once again and these lads were playing for him as he has brought them back to life. I only look forward to one thing; Mokoena won't be captain anymore. A BIG THANK YOU PAUL for what you have done.

Pompey Malta

curbs for me all the others are either inexperienced or dogsh-it.

Super Bock 1898

Peter Taylor?

ninjatim

I'm going to say Bilic - we're a Premiership club, Croatia haven't qualified for the World Cup..... what better way to prove yourself. Not only that I've always said we'd benefit from a character like his.... and if we didn't before when I was singing his praises then we ruddy well do now given our position

PFCGino

Ahh if it doesn't work out we'll have a new man by next Winter. Same old, same old. I don't think I care who comes in, they just need to get some results and fast.

stillthewhizz

How about Gareth Southgate? I do feel sorry for Paul Hart, he seems a genuine guy but tactically naive.

Lemmi

Been on the cards for a while. The issiue now is can Pompey stay in the Premier League - answer...nope.

Tudor

wish him all the best, it would have been nice if he stayed on with the youth development. Oh well, fingers crossed we make a good decision!

nodster

Didn't want him appointed in the first place but he did as best he could and changed a lot of mindsets.. Not sad to see him leave the post but will be a shame if he leaves the club .. As for the contenders.. Jeez.. it's like the cast from the muppet show .. Oh well if 'Carpet' was around he'd be chriping for Bilic and to be honest I think he'd be my favorite too..

Chix

I find Hart's departure to be pretty saddening actually. I fear I'll be saying the same thing if Brown leaves the government in his current position. I would really only want to see Grant at the club. At least he has a history with Pompey, that was all that the Amazing Twitch needed upon his second coming.

Lysimachus

Bilic, Bilic, Bilic, come on Pompey make the call!

bluedr

I'm sure the players will get over it - footballers are used to managers being sacked and a new one coming in, it happens all the time. Any players that have been at Pompey for over a year have got used to it. Unfortunately that's not very many players . . Any manager worth his salt will be able to win the respect of the players, surely. And unlike 'Arry, I don't think there'll be a mass exodus following Hart to his next position somehow.

tracyc

Looks like AG. He should get his w/p tomorrow and I bet an announcement will be made after the Man.U game. Same result as Rug has mentioned before but via a different route.

PFCblue

I was about to say much the same thing, blue. Mark Jacobs has said that the work permit is expected tomorrow, and that Grant hasn't been ruled out at all.

tracyc

Doesn't matter who gets the job unless somebody is actually prepared to put their hand in their pocket and sign some quality. Without that they might just as well give the job to my 10 year old son. With Portsmouth pulling out of the 2018 world cup race as well i'd say the stadium looks to be a million miles away as well.

Steve C

Expect the unexpected.

ninjatim

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