'We need seven new players'
Michael Brown insists Pompey need seven new signings to compete in the Championship.
One of those will not be David James, though, after he completed a surprise move to Bristol City.
The England international has sealed a one-year deal with the Blues' Championship rivals after leaving Fratton Park.
Brown feels his team needs revolutionising to give them a hope of flourishing in the English game's second tier this season.
Steve Cotterill has made it clear the youngsters at Fratton Park are not ready for the rough terrain that lies ahead in the coming months.
With the squad massively short on experience, Brown is sure there needs to be a host of new names arriving quickly.
Ibrahima Sonko, right, arrived on loan from Stoke this week, but Brown knows there has to be a lot more movement urgently, with the new campaign starting at Coventry next weekend.
Brown said: 'We know what we've got here.
'We've got to get some players and got to get some players fit.
'We're trying the best with what we've got.
'But we need players. There's no question. We need players sooner rather than later.
'It doesn't seem to be happening at the moment, for whatever reason.
'It's not down to the players, but we are seeing the weeks go by and no-one coming in.
'We need five or six players to come into the team. In fact, I think seven is more realistic. Seven.
'We have two injured players in Webbs (Danny Webber) and Hermann (Hreidarsson), and Hermann is not contracted.
'We are still waiting on Jamie (Ashdown) and Stephen Jordan is not in. So we have six seniors and Sonko has come.
'Hopefully we'll get some players back and there are some who are contracted, but we haven't seen.
'It's disappointing. The club are trying their best to sort the situation out, but it's a major hindrance on the squad.'
Cotterill has had to lean heavily on untried youngsters throughout pre-season, despite being loath to throw them in at this stage.
Those on tour with Pompey benefited hugely from the experience of being involved in the first team.
Many of those impressed, despite the testing conditions on their North American journey.
But Brown warned the untried youngsters weren't ready for a gruelling Championship campaign.
He said: 'These kids are not ready.
'They are doing okay and getting experience when normally they wouldn't.
'They are getting into the team, but some of them are not ready yet.
'It's good for experience, but in the Championship we need players who are ready to get straight in.'
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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