But would it be a shock?

To be fair, the piece that The News is running this morning about a 'shock' that awaits a new manager at Pompey is nicely written, giving fairly in-depth details into a number of players - listing who is under contract, who is not and who is 'set to leave' Fratton, but would any 'potential manager' really be that 'surprised' or 'shocked' by our current status?

There is a virtual running commentary on this club, so all SHOULD know the score!

If this is not being broadcast daily by Admin Andy - I guess to be fair we asked to be 'kept in the loop', although a number of his 'press addresses' seem unnecessary and unneeded - then it is the national, or even international media keeping us updated with developments, or non-developments...

So, surely if a manager walked into the Pompey job and was in anyway surprised with what he has to work with, or not as the case may be, I would be totally and utterly amazed!

It is fairly simple, we are struggling - in virtually every single area at this club! The acceptance of the CVA proposal will at least release that vice like grip around our neck but this manager is still going to have a weak(ish) hand to play with as he will not be dealt many aces, he will need to provide his own...

As long as we get the transfer embargo lifted before the season kicks off, even for a worse case scenario so we can register enough of the kids coming through to at least put together a side - of course this is far from ideal - I think we can accept this right?

In all honesty we are looking, and I think on the whole accepting, that a situation similar to last summer if facing us where we were scratching around to put together a team right up until the eleventh hour, and more, of the season. Déjà vu in many ways this summer methinks so the 'pre-season', in essence, will be on the opening weeks of the season for many!

If this manager walks into this job under any other illusions than the ones that are blatantly obvious now, they may as well hand in their notice on day one...

So much of our future depends on the outcome on the CVA but, much like the recent moley2 poll has found, I think that it is vitally important that we face up to the realism that surviving next season in the no power championship MUST be the thing that we should have in our minds first and foremost.

How you voted - Just to stay up! 42%
Automatic Promotion 19%
Playoffs 13%
So long as we have a team I'm not bothered 12%
Mid-Table 10%
Comfortably above the relegation zone 4%

Yep, you want to aim higher but the worse thing to happen to PFC would be for back-to-back relegations to occur - should that be the case then we might as well hand in our notice, not as fans but a club, at the end of 2010/11 as I cannot see there being much after this should league one be the case the season after next.

I am NOT being all doom and gloom, even if it might read this way, realism is what we MUST deal in, and from top to bottom at this club...

PLAY UP POMPEY!

For more information about the Vital England predictions league game - click here.

For more information about the Vital England fantasy football game - click here.

Vital F1 Prediction League - Join now for Monaco

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.