Andy Cullen: Why Michael Eisner has proven that Portsmouth's not up for sale
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And he believes Michael Eisner’s actions during the past week have emphatically demonstrated the owner’s long-term commitment.
It is approaching four years since Tornante purchased the club from the Pompey Supporters’ Trust and installed Eisner as chairman.
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Hide AdHowever, since the turn of the year, there have been persistent rumours of the Blues having been put on the market.
Now his replacement – Andy Cullen – is convinced this week’s twin announcements of a £10m Fratton Park development and the purchase of Roko prove the point.
Pompey’s new chief executive told The News: ‘For anybody who felt the football club was up for sale, I think the two announcements this week has very quickly put that to bed.
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Hide Ad‘You wouldn’t make those sorts of investments if that was to be the case – and I wouldn’t be here either if the club was up for sale.
‘They are totally committed to the football club.
‘Look at everything that the last 12 months has thrown at them – the pandemic, the stresses on all football clubs in the business – yet they remain 100-per-cent committed to it.
‘And that is underlined by the two announcements this week.
‘There’s the ongoing things they want to do at Fratton Park. If we can get the right decisions made in terms of being able to increase the capacity beyond 20,000, that’s what they want to do.
‘It’s quite refreshing actually when you speak to the owners (Tornante), particularly given the bad press that some owners have had in recent weeks in the Premier League.
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Hide Ad‘This is an ownership that really gets it, understands the city, understands what the supporters mean, and understands what Fratton Park means to the people.
‘They respect the heritage and history of a great football club. When people come into any club that can very, very quickly get lost.’
While there has been encouraging recent news off the pitch, there remains frustration at the lack of playing arrivals.
Cullen officially started at Fratton Park this week and insists boss Danny Cowley is working hard to recruit within his playing budget.
He added: ‘The owners are funding a competitive budget.
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Hide Ad‘We talked about two or three of the clubs that have new owners with very, very deep pockets and want to splash it all on the team.
‘We will do it in a sustainable way, yet still have a very, very competitive budget to give to Danny – and we have got to use it wisely.
‘I’m sure Danny has looked at several players who would probably be very attractive at another club, but probably don’t fit what he wants to do here.
‘It’s making sure we get that identikit properly established.’
A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron
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