Poor Draw With Bristol City Adds to Adams' Woes As Fans Threaten Defoe
FA Cup: Portsmouth held to scrappy draw as want-away striker tells of 'sickening' threats
Threatening phone calls for Jermain Defoe and a poor draw against an average Championship side on Saturday — all in all, it's been a pretty bad weekend for Tony Adams and Portsmouth football club.
Adams is keeping a brave face on, but speculation about an exodus of key players in the transfer window, plus the alleged financial crisis at the club and a string of poor results all seem to spell disaster for a side who only eight months ago were celebrating winning the FA Cup.
Still Adams refused to accept that his ship might be sinking, or even that Defoe wants to leave. "People change, day to day," he said of the situation. "Joe Jordan was staying one minute, wasn't he? Went the next, bless him. Maybe I'll make a point of talking to [Defoe] on Monday if he comes in, we'll see. If he needs convincing, I'll convince him. If he doesn't, he doesn't."
Having been linked with several clubs last week, including Tottenham, Manchester City and Juventus, Defoe has claimed that he and his family had been "sickened" by threats from Portsmouth fans reacting to rumors that the former Tottenham striker may be leaving a year after joining the club. Defoe also said that he had only signed for the south-coast club to work with Harry Redknapp, describing his former mentor's departure for Spurs as "a big blow".
Still Adams' tone following the match was upbeat, "At the moment [Defoe] is a Portsmouth player and until you hear otherwise, I'm very positive." But death threats will do no good for the PR of a club hoping to retain — and even attract — star players.
An uninspired performance against Bristol City only added to the problems. Adams insisted he was happy with the clean sheet, but his side lacked conviction in front of goal, with Gary Johnson's team having a killer chance to snatch it in the second half from Bradley Orr's header. Sylvain Distin had a shot cleared off the line and Niko Kranjcar and Peter Crouch were busy for the home side, but they sorely missed the know-how of a goal poacher like Defoe.
In the end it was 0–0, with the Bristol fans singing about Adams losing his job. He has not so far, but without a win in the league since November the replay at Ashton Gate next Tuesday is the last thing he needs.
Meanwhile Portsmouth's chief executive, Peter Storrie, refused to subscribe to the view that his club are in trouble, despite Adam's reign yielding only three wins from 16 matches. Writing in the match program he said: "We have had a couple of disappointing results in the league but I am frankly astounded at some of the media coverage that has followed, including criticism of Tony Adams. He is a winner. Make no bones, we are lucky to have him as our manager." Whether Storrie is still talking that way in a few weeks time is the big question.
Man of the match Niko Kranjcar
Adams is keeping a brave face on, but speculation about an exodus of key players in the transfer window, plus the alleged financial crisis at the club and a string of poor results all seem to spell disaster for a side who only eight months ago were celebrating winning the FA Cup.
Still Adams refused to accept that his ship might be sinking, or even that Defoe wants to leave. "People change, day to day," he said of the situation. "Joe Jordan was staying one minute, wasn't he? Went the next, bless him. Maybe I'll make a point of talking to [Defoe] on Monday if he comes in, we'll see. If he needs convincing, I'll convince him. If he doesn't, he doesn't."
Having been linked with several clubs last week, including Tottenham, Manchester City and Juventus, Defoe has claimed that he and his family had been "sickened" by threats from Portsmouth fans reacting to rumors that the former Tottenham striker may be leaving a year after joining the club. Defoe also said that he had only signed for the south-coast club to work with Harry Redknapp, describing his former mentor's departure for Spurs as "a big blow".
Still Adams' tone following the match was upbeat, "At the moment [Defoe] is a Portsmouth player and until you hear otherwise, I'm very positive." But death threats will do no good for the PR of a club hoping to retain — and even attract — star players.
An uninspired performance against Bristol City only added to the problems. Adams insisted he was happy with the clean sheet, but his side lacked conviction in front of goal, with Gary Johnson's team having a killer chance to snatch it in the second half from Bradley Orr's header. Sylvain Distin had a shot cleared off the line and Niko Kranjcar and Peter Crouch were busy for the home side, but they sorely missed the know-how of a goal poacher like Defoe.
In the end it was 0–0, with the Bristol fans singing about Adams losing his job. He has not so far, but without a win in the league since November the replay at Ashton Gate next Tuesday is the last thing he needs.
Meanwhile Portsmouth's chief executive, Peter Storrie, refused to subscribe to the view that his club are in trouble, despite Adam's reign yielding only three wins from 16 matches. Writing in the match program he said: "We have had a couple of disappointing results in the league but I am frankly astounded at some of the media coverage that has followed, including criticism of Tony Adams. He is a winner. Make no bones, we are lucky to have him as our manager." Whether Storrie is still talking that way in a few weeks time is the big question.
Man of the match Niko Kranjcar
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