Who, if anyone, is next?

Given our current state it will hardly come as a surprise to anyone that continued 'cost cutting' measures could well be needed...

Sadly dozens of people, and mostly the everyday working class individual, have already had to leave PFC with players 'possibly' following suit, in fact Erik Huseklepp did last week when he joined Birmingham on loan.

Trevor Birch, as he told The News today, cannot 'rule out' further loan departures: 'I honestly don't know if there will be any other deals like that (Huseklepp) but there haven't been any other approaches from other clubs at the moment.

'I know there was some interest in some of the younger lads before the transfer deadline but that doesn't help us, really, because they are not the big wage earners.'

As far as the 'footballing ability' of these at Fratton goes he has said he cannot fault this, nor can he the 'spirit' on show.

So, with that in mind Birch has little doubt that Pompey can 'stay up' this season: 'I think there is a fantastic spirit among the players. It's surprised me.

'Footballers can sometimes be a bit cynical but this bunch are very honest and you can see the effort they put in. I can't speak highly enough of them.

'I've been absolutely impressed by that. They are certainly not lacking in having the right attitude to ensure survival.

'It won't be for a lack of effort and from what I've seen so far, it will not be through a lack of talent.

'We've got enough quality there, in my opinion, to stay up.'

I am with Birch on most of what he has said there, the spirit is second to none, togetherness is fantastic and the footballing ability is there, we just cannot score enough goals and that will always hurt you!

The problem is if/when we start dismantling this squad further the likelihood of us staying up diminishes...

I have little doubt that the likes of Stephen Henderson, Jason Pearce and Joel Ward will again gain some interested before the loan window closes later this month.

Will we be able to keep them though?

Problem is these are the players that we really need to stay, and whilst I have little doubt that they are on 'decent money' they would not be in the same ballpark figure as some of the 'higher earners' that we could do with shifting!

Sadly it is those that we need to go that will gain little, if any, attention...

PLAY UP POMPEY!

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