Slugging it out

No, I am not talking about discussions with 'interested parties', which are still ongoing and were slugged out late into the night, I am talking about an 'apparent' training ground dust up between Jamie O'Hara and Michael Brown.

The Mail 'claims' that O'Hara gave Brown a good decking on Monday...

'Tension were running high' with Brown 'said' to be 'jumping into tackles', one of which was particularly reckless on O'Hara - with it described as a 'leg breaker.' This saw Jamie 'the slugger' O'Hara snap and he gave Brown a pounding.

The 'scuffle' is 'said' to have been over pretty quickly but Brown has come away from this with a nice black eye...

As for the slugging it out as far as Portsmouth Football Clubs very own future goes, this is 'on going.'

Three separate parties are said to be in discussions with the club, the South Africans, Endeavor Plan and an unnamed one, 'thought' to be an Irish one?

'Reports' on ESPN, which of course are the ones that Peter Storrie does all his talking to, were 'claiming' last night that 'proof of funding' had been received, although according to Balram Chainrai's spokesman, Phil Hall - who was talking to sky sports news - this does not seem to be the case...

Storrie does appear to have connections with these South Africans, who are the ones he is negotiating with - but Hall insists NOTHING will happen until this concrete proof of funding is seen.

It is probably best that I just quote all of what Hall has said really: 'there have been a number of calls going around the globe today. There have also been three meetings going on in London.

'When I left them 10 minutes ago, two meetings were going on in one London hotel and (chief executive) Peter Storrie was meeting another group in another location.

'So they certainly could not try harder to try and put a deal together.

'Peter has made no secret, I do not think we are breaking any confidences, of his relationship with a South African interested party and, yes, indeed, he has been having conversations with them to try and advance it further.

'They have absolutely insisted that no negotiations will go further unless there is proper proof of funds.

'That does not mean a solicitor's letter. That means a bank absolutely authorising that respectable funds are in place and that a deal can be done and investment can be made into the football club.

'They are not going to take people's word as in the past. It is something they are very clear about.

'The other thing that they are very clear about is that both said to me earlier today that this club has to survive, that Monday is not an option for them, that liquidation cannot happen. They are determined to make sure that indeed does not go ahead.'

Administration will be sought if needs be from the sounds of it, but we have been hearing words along those lines for a while really - but that is a last resort.

Fair play I guess, we HAVE been burnt several times this season so getting cast iron proof that funding is available is something that is needed and without this no sale should, or even would go ahead.

Something at the very last minute is possible though, and this could well drag on until the last: 'we have until Monday, really, so I think you can safely say by the weekend we will have a clear picture of what's happening.

'But it can change on one conversation or one document which can change the whole picture.'

As always we have to just sit, wait and hope...

PLAY UP POMPEY!

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