Cotterill targets a treble
Steve Cotterill celebrated the return of Ricardo Rocha and insisted: We still need more players.
Cotterill is hoping to complete another hat-trick of deals before the clash with Ipswich next week after convincing Rocha to return to Fratton Park.
The Portuguese defender met the Pompey boss yesterday at their
Eastleigh base ahead of sealing his comeback.
And Rocha, 31, is today set to meet with Blues chief executive David Lampitt to finalise the deal.
Cotterill is focusing on adding Spurs right-back Kyle Naughton to his options before the league programme recommences.
Although the youngster is part of Spurs' 25-man squad, he is unlikely to be in the first-team picture at White Hart Lane.
Kanu's return to Pompey has been agreed, with it now a case of gaining Football League clearance for the Nigerian after he was not registered in time to face Cardiff last Saturday.
Cotterill is also keen on bringing in another central midfielder, with the middle of the park failing to gel so far this season.
Despite the transfer window being closed, Pompey can make emergency loan signings from next week.
Cotterill is hopeful of concluding that business after adding Liam Lawrence and Dave Kitson to his ranks.
The chase for Rocha has dragged on throughout the summer as the two parties played a game of cat and mouse.
Cotterill revealed he had to be convinced of Rocha's desire to play for Pompey before inking the move.
He said 'We need to get more players across the line and make us stronger.
'Players don't like competition but it's good for them.
'We've not had that but we're starting to get there a bit.
'There's a couple we are talking to. We need to get more players across the line to make us stronger.
'It's been a game of bluff a bit but one we've ended up winning.
'At the end of the day, by saying "don't come" I thought it might work out in the long run. Now he has come to us.
'Maybe his options have narrowed.
'But I had to see him, look him in the eye and see he wants to play for this club.
'We've not had a lot of options but we've been trying to address a lot of areas.
'It's been hard but I do feel there is a chink of light and we are starting to move forward a bit.'
Cotterill admits it has been a running battle to keep a squad together in recent weeks. But he insists none of those problems have dampened his enthusiasm for rebuilding Pompey.
He said: 'The finances are still very difficult. But nothing has changed my desire to get this club into a better situation.
'It will not happen overnight.
'I've had quite a few headaches along the way but that hasn't changed what I think of this club.'
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Weather for Portsmouth
Thursday 24 May 2012
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