Andy Griffin: Milan Mandaric made Portsmouth's players the scapegoat for manager sacking

That’s the verdict of Andy Griffin, who was furious about the circumstances of the Frenchman’s departure as manager in November 2005.

Griffin was among a delegation of senior players summoned to meet owner Mandaric at Fratton Park, with skipper Dejan Stefanovic, Andy O’Brien and Gary O’Neil among them.

The unpopular Perrin had lost the dressing room, while poor results left the Blues above the Premier League relegation zone purely by goal difference.

And although Griffin agreed with the dismissal – he disliked how Mandaric later depicted player power as being the driving force.

The former right-back told The News: ‘Some of the senior players were called into a meeting with the chairman.

‘He asked us: “What’s it like? I’ve heard a couple of things aren't right” and one or two of us told him. But I learnt a lesson that day, let me tell you.

‘Don’t get me into a meeting only to then come out and say the players got the manager the sack. That’s how it was spun – and it’s wrong that the players were blamed.

‘That was very, very unfair. We were used as a bit of a scapegoat and I thought that was naughty.

‘We were asked to be at the ground at a certain time and then our views were wanted. It was a case of “It’s not too bad, but could be a bit better”.

‘Certainly it wasn’t: “You’ve got to get rid of him, he’s shocking, he’s this, that and the other”. We didn’t decide it was best the manager left – it was the chairman.

‘Suggesting otherwise was throwing the players under a bus – and only certain players at that because some didn’t get mentioned.

‘That was quite disappointing. He was going to get rid of the manager anyway – and we were an excuse.

‘Mandaric didn’t need to do that anyway, he’d throw managers out like they were empty crisp packets.

‘I’d say he was a successful Pompey chairman, but very, very ruthless, as are a lot of chairmen. It’s their club and they run the show and can call the shots.’

Perrin departed following four defeats in 21 matches, with a 3-0 loss at Liverpool proving his final match.

Within a fortnight, the Blues had a new manager – Harry Redknapp. Again.

Griffin added: ‘I learnt the lesson not to again get involved in those situations. Let that stay between the manager and the chief executive.

‘I am a player, I’m just going to go out and train and play. It's nothing to do with me whether you think the manager should be getting the sack or not getting the sack.

‘I learnt a lesson – never ever get yourself involved and put yourself in that position again.’

MORE: How ‘totalitarian’ Alain Perrin lost Pompey’s dressing room and never again reached Demolition Derby heights.

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