O'Brien shown the door

So this is the same O'Brien that Chelsea and Man Utd also tried to sign. Surely that suggests that he has talent. Ok so perhaps he has a big head, but that is something that should be managed. Can't help but loosing Begovic and O'Brien in the same year is pretty suicidal!

Since David Coles left the keeper coaching has been poor to say the least. Flahaven is there as cover only and will not play, apart from a sending off in a match. SC has made it clear by ignoring the youth team players (they can only communicate with him through his coaches) that he does not want them around the club. There is a problem with the manager and the academy and its staff also. The youth team know there is no chance of progression under this manager,and that feeling runs through the whole academy. i would expect it to be wound up in the not so distant future. As for O'Brien his problems start and finish with cotterill and keeley. having been selected by noel blake for England u19s in the european championships (And told he would be first choice) it was a kick in the teeth to be withdrawn to go on the ridiculous USA tour. Although this was a huge kick in the teeth, he was happy to go and was told by cotterill he would go as number one and he would see how he performed. Imagine the lads dissapointment when 2 other keepers turned up at the airport including ashdown who had walked away from the club when they were in trouble, only to discover no one wanted him. liam only started as first choice once jon stewart broke his leg. Once back he played as number 2 with great proffesionalism but was totally ignored by cotterill. He was sent to Eaastbourne by the club despite being advised not to go as he was on a hiding to nothing. thrown in at Barrow having never met his new team and without a game since 22nd july, and this for a team with the most goals conceeded in the conference. Eastbournes first choice who they had just signed was serving a one match ban and would return to the team no matter what liam played like. That was where he was pig headed, he thought he could proove them all wrong. To date 6 clubs have now registered an interest in him, despite cotterills stinging attack on an 18 year old, and this from a man who has had little or no success of his own. Last March Ray Clemence told liams agent that he thought liam would play for Englands first team within 5 years, but that he would need to be carefull when making contract decisions, and where he played his football. A lot of good judges felt he made the wrong decision coming to pompey in the first place, but paul hart was a big factor as was david coles. What is dissapointing is he could have gone last season when top clubs were in his and his agents ear, but he loved avram and colesy and wanted to stay loyal to them and the club, unfortunately that loyalty has not been returned but thats football. i just hope that this is not the final nail in the coffin of all the good kids at pompey.

What a great shame, I thought he showed promise when he played in the Havant friendly, and it seems Noel Blake agreed. I am concerned about this attitude towards the youngsters! Good luck to Liam, perhaps he'll find another club that will prove the making of him. I hope so, he deserves it.

Stunningly stupid decision, which speaks volumes about the weakness issues in the managers personality.

"Stunningly stupid decision, which speaks volumes about the weakness issues in the managers personality"......russellm, how right you are. I couldn't have put it better myself. Quote of the week in my opinion. Almost beggars belief.

Who wrote this story? WHY do we HAVE to trust the senior management staff at pompey? The same reason investors did at ENRON or BB or JARVIS or CONNAUGHT or WOOLWORTHS or or or... because what? For God's sake this guy's another Harry - he's stripping it so when the club's sanctions are lifted he thinks he might end up with more budget to spend himself with little regard to a blend of players and the future of pompey - another look at me look what a great job I AM DOING at the expense of the long term security of pompey... I'm not advocating frittering money on huge youth squads but when a player makes it to england u19 and shows promise we should be doing better than this -

May be after tasting success and the bitter aftertaste I don't want instant success and have to step on heads to climbt ot he top but do it the right way