On this day: Portsmouth chief Milan Mandaric joins Birmingham owner David Sullivan in slamming greedy players

The Pompey chairman spoke out to back Birmingham co-owner David Sullivan, who said in the light of his club’s 7-0 FA Cup hammering by Liverpool that he didn’t like footballers.

Mandaric admitted the Blues had seen their share of players during his time as chairman who had been content to draw big wages without giving enough in return.

But he stressed that although it was a growing problem in the game, it was one which affected all clubs and was no worse at Pompey than anywhere else.

Mandaric called on clubs and football’s authorities to work to eradicate the greed which was threatening to bleed clubs dry.

The Blues chairman did not name names in admitting there had been Pompey players who did not earn their corn.

But he did highlight club skipper Dejan Stefanovic as having the level of commitment all well-paid players should be willing to put in.

Speaking to The News at the time, Mandaric said: ‘I respect and admire footballers and the talent they have but what I don’t like is those who take advantage of the situation they are in.

‘There are players who are content to take the money and not go the extra mile to give their club what they can.

‘This is not just down to the players, it is down to agents and clubs themselves. We have to work to stop this afflicting the game.’

Pompey had a huge turnover of players during Mandaric’s years at the helm – particularly since they won promotion to the Premiership in 2003.

But Fratton’s revolving door had seen plenty of high-profile flops coming in alongside the more successful signings.

Mandaric said Stefanovic’s quick and committed return from recent ankle surgery typified the spirit all footballers should be willing to give.

‘He was ruled out long-term but he has worked 24 hours a day to get fit and get back as soon as possible to help us on the pitch. That is the unselfish attitude many others could learn from,’ he added.

Mandaric had a lot of sympathy for Birmingham supremo Sullivan, who said he was fed up with high-earning players taking their wages without ever looking like justifying them.

Sullivan had promised to kick out some of his under-performing stars at the end of the season.

And Mandaric suggested that he and his fellow Fratton chiefs would be doing more ‘homework’ on players before signing them.

‘We have to put more of a business head on than an emotional head on. In any other walk of life, if you employed someone and they were nowhere near earning their money, you’d fire them,’ he added.