'Combustible, Played 5-a-side with us, The worst, Workaholic': Neil Allen's honest opinion on his 17 Portsmouth bosses - Part 1

Now he reflects on the 17 different Blues bosses he’s interviewed since November 2000., remembering their characters, their stories, those he liked, those he disliked.

Below is Part One, containing eight former Pompey managers in no particular order. Part Two is to be published on Thursday evening.

Steve Cotterill

Unlike some local journalists who have come across Steve Cotterill, we possessed an excellent relationship with the often-combustible boss. I’d go as far as to say that he’s one of my favourites at Pompey.

Undoubtedly, we bonded over our mutual dislike for David Lampitt. I recall once ringing Pompey’s chief executive to clarify a story I had heard, only for him to deny it. Then, within an hour, an official club announcement was made on the club website - it had actually been true.

Furious, I called Lampitt back and we had a frank exchange of words, during which I branded him ‘a liar’. Without minutes of me slamming the phone down, Cotterill called: ‘Good lad, good lad’. To this day, I have absolutely no idea how he had heard so swiftly about the bust up.

If Cotterill liked and trusted you, he was a solid ally. He was an honourable man, with strong morals and cast-iron loyalty to his staff, yet could be your worst enemy if he didn’t respect you - as Lampitt discovered. That was a truly toxic relationship.

We had our moments, though. In January 2011, following a midweek 2-1 home defeat to Burnley, it emerged during the post-match press conference that the Blues would be flying abroad for what was described as warm weather training. Apparently they required ‘a bit of a lift’.

When I merely asked for information on the duration and where they were heading, Cotterill inexplicably exploded in front of a hushed room.

Amid expletives, he ranted: ‘What is this? Neil, you’re not having all the info so don’t get sniffing around it, alright. You’ve got what you’ve got.’

At 8am the following morning, while I was driving to work, Cotterill’s name flashed up on my phone. Inevitably, I answered it with trepidation, except what followed surprised me.

‘I’d just like to apologise for the way I spoke to you last night. I was out of order, it was a bad night for me, losing against Burnley (his former club) hurt’. I thought that was classy and he went up in my estimation.

On another occasion, during a pre-season trip to South Carolina, USA, in July 2011, the Blues drew 2-2 against a Charleston Battery team in a behind-closed-doors friendly.

Having read my match report on the web, a fuming Cotterill collared me, with his ire centred on writing the opposition consisted of fringe players and college kids. When I pointed out it was the truth, he shouted ‘I didn’t bring you on this tour to tell the truth.

A few days later, one evening I bumped into Hermann Hreidarsson in the Sticky Fingers bar across the road from the team’s hotel. ‘I saw you arguing with Gaffer,’ he said. ‘Tell me what it was about or I’ll punch you in the stomach’.

Once I explained, he laughed, patted me on the back and ordered me a drink. This was shortly before he enthusiastically orchestrated the downing of shots with Pompey supporters also present. Incidentally, Hermann wasn’t even allowed to be out!

Cotterill also one went mad at me when Brendon Bone described his footballing style as ‘long ball’ in The News’ Gaffer For A Day. Apparently it was my fault.

Still, it was swings and roundabouts, and, in October 2011, on his way to inform the players of his resignation to take up the Nottingham Forest job, he called me from his car for a chat. When he departed, he briefly stopped his car to address the Sky Sports cameras and made a point of thanking me - by name. I think he actually quite liked me.

Danny Cowley

The hardest-working manager/head coach I have ever come across and, undoubtedly, among of the most approachable - and likeable.

Pompey’s players disliked Danny Cowley’s intensity, which usually consisted of running them through a PowerPoint presentation for one-and-a-half hours before training every day - and often after training too in specialist groups. Nonetheless, it epitomised his determination to succeed at Fratton Park.

He put his heart and soul into the Pompey job, backed by impressive PR skills, but sadly fell short. Regardless, he’s one of the few sacked Blues bosses who have genuinely attracted good wishes from the Fratton faithful upon his departure.

Such was his desire to get the job, he called me twice before even being appointed. Eager to carry out his research, he picked my brains extensively on the club’s history, the situation he could potentially inherit, and also asked for a complete run down on every squad member.

In July 2022, The News were allowed on the pre-season tour to Murcia, Spain, staying at the team’s hotel, with Cowley as hospitable as ever - and observing his phenomenal work ethic at first hand was fascinating.

Staying at the same hotel were Bradford, with their boss Mark Hughes and his sizeable backroom team spending most evenings huddled around several tables pushed together and entertaining themselves with alcohol, accompanied by raucous laughter.

In contrast, Danny and Nicky Cowley didn’t drink, instead whiling away the late hours either on the phone discussing transfers or working on laptops. With the workaholic management setting such a tone, unsurprisingly their staff were equally well behaved - and sober.

As a modern coach, Cowley understood the importance of the media and was a brilliant operator in that aspect of the job. Although clever attempts to boost John Marquis’ confidence by branding him a ‘Championship player’ unfortunately failed to have the desired effect.

Avram Grant

I never quite got Avram Grant.

Admittedly, he was softly spoken, polite and extremely popular among club staff and in the dressing room. Indeed he left many friends upon his departure for West Ham following Premier League relegation.

Yet take away the FA Cup run and his league record was actually worse than Paul Hart’s. Still, progress to the final against Chelsea is largely why he is so fondly remembered at Fratton Park.

Grant wasn’t always around the training ground, which was epitomised by assistant manager Paul Groves having to be regularly called upon in a press conference to deliver injury and availability news. The manager largely didn’t have a clue.

The Israeli’s popularity was also helped by his public half-time confrontation with referee Kevin Friend during a February 2010 draw with Sunderland, much to supporters’ delight. There were also those on-pitch speeches. Rather than being off the cuff, they had been written for him by a former journalist.

Incidentally, he was also known to seek advice on what to say before attending post-match press conferences, demonstrating his clever understanding of the PR game.

Having said that, Grant was an absolute gentleman who developed a genuine affinity with Pompey. He also produced heroics by steering a side in administration to the FA Cup final, which gave us that memorable Spurs semi-final triumph.

Oh and he complimented my colleague Steve Wilson on his ties so much that Steve presented him with one after the 2010 FA Cup final. It cost £10 from Marks & Spencer.

Steve Claridge

As Pompey’s player-manager, he departed four months following my arrival at The News. As a consequence, I interviewed him just once during his time in charge.

His exit was Milan Mandaric at his most ruthless, with the Blues’ owner even disputing he had appointed him as manager in the first place, insisting Claridge had only ever been a caretaker.

I can recall being dispatched to the Wellington Sports Ground to watch him oversee his final training session, before writing an article about it. This was a man absolutely heartbroken, you couldn’t help but feel for him.

If that wasn’t bad enough, he and assistant Guy Whittingham were asked to remain involved for the Saturday trip to West Brom, despite Graham Rix having been appointed as his replacement and watching from the stands. Brutal.

I also attended, compiling a Claridge Watch from the Hawthorns’ away end, with the sacked Pompey favourite appearing off the bench in the 53rd minute for the 2-0 defeat.

Paul Hart

I remember Paul Hart giving the Nottingham Forest reporter a difficult time on the opening day of the 2002-03 season following a 2-0 Pompey victory which would herald a memorable promotion season.

He later moved to Fratton Park in 2007 as director of youth operations following impressive success in Leeds’ centre of excellence, and at the start I found him absolutely fine to deal with.

However, upon his elevation to manager, initially as a caretaker, he struggled hugely with the press. Clearly he found that aspect of the role uncomfortable and was always suspicious, treating every question as a personal attack on his character. Certainly he was the worst Pompey boss I have ever dealt with.

Club staff who knew him behind the scenes describe somebody who loved to hold court, a fine raconteur - particularly about Brian Clough, accompanied by the voice - hugely sociable and enjoyed a drink.

In fairness, Hart did keep Pompey in the Premier League after Tony Adams departed with the team struggling in 16th place. Although, with David James, Glen Johnson, Sylvain Distin, Hermann Hreidarsson, Sean Davis, Peter Crouch, Hayden Mullins, Kanu and Sol Campbell at his disposal, you can debate how much of a feat that truly was.

It must also be noted that he was the unfortunate man in charge when the club’s financial crisis kicked off, forced to deal with Sacha Gaydamak as owner, followed by Sulaiman Al Fahim and Ali Al Faraj.

Still, once he lost the well-respected Brian Kidd to Manchester City after keeping Pompey up in 2008-09, it hugely impacted on how he - and the Blues - fared.

Hart had been gunning for me since the summer of 2009, with frivolous complaints to my sports editor Howard Frost. One centred on me politely excusing myself from the media scrum outside a Vitoria Guimaraes stand after finishing talking to him. Instead I needed to catch the passing David James for an interview as, at that point, we had been denied any players to speak to all summer.

Hart considered such behaviour rude - and subsequently refused to talk to me for the traditional Pompey pre-season magazine, insisting somebody else did the interview.

Unfortunately, I eventually gave him the excuse he was looking for in October 2009 when I undiplomatically described him as a ‘dead man walking’ in my match report after a goalless draw at Hull. I also wrote that Avram Grant was waiting to replace him. Of course, it proved to be absolutely correct.

Still, two days later at a pre-match press conference, I was called into his office, told I wasn’t a ‘very nice person’, escorted off the premises and banned indefinitely. Thankfully, the club had no jurisdiction to ban me from away grounds, so, on such occasions, I managed to get friendly national journalists to ask my questions.

Hart’s last match as Pompey boss was a 1-0 defeat at Stoke in November 2009 which left them rooted to the foot of the Premier League. It was obvious what was coming - and I sat two rows back, with my arms folded, forcing myself to remain expressionless as the dead man sitting addressed the press.

It was his final media duties as Pompey boss, although he hadn’t spoken to me for a month.

Velimir Zajec

I didn’t cover many of Velimir Zajec’s 21 matches in charge, instead our primary contact was on a five-a-side pitch at Medina Primary School.

Somehow, our chief sports writer Mark Storey had convinced the former Yugoslavia international to join The News in our weekly Monday night kickabout in Cosham.

Zajec had been a defensive midfielder in his playing prime, captaining his country at the 1982 World Cup finals, yet 25 years later was now mixing with us. Unsurprisingly, he ran the show, pinging the ball into the net from all distances.

There was a running joke that he would shout ‘Yakubu’ when he or a team-mate scored - and ‘Kamara’ should somebody miss a golden shooting opportunity. However, his English wasn’t great.

I’m not sure too many people outside our group twigged who he was, with players wearing Pompey shirts waiting to use the pitch usually absolutely oblivious. Then again, Zajec’s was a very short and forgettable Pompey spell.

Richie Barker

I have never seen a manager so utterly demoralised and ready to leave a football club than Richie Barker after defeat at Rochdale in March 2014.

The 3-0 loss left the Blues two points above the League Two relegation zone with seven matches remaining, while the travelling support had chanted for his dismissal.

Even his response to the usual ‘Are you the right man for the job?’ question was unconvincing: ‘I’ve had far bigger issues outside football that are far

worse than this and I will just get on with it. I don’t feel the pressure, I just get on with it and work as hard as I can. I’ve had things happen to me and this is not pressure.’

The body language, the demeanor, the lack of fight, this was a man destroyed - and to cap it all, moments later he had an argument with a fan while boarding the team bus.

Barker was supposed to be the dream ticket with Steve Coppell, who would serve as director of football. Yet Coppell was barely around, with players of that time estimating they saw the ex-Reading boss just twice on the training ground.

Barker was a decent man, honest, approachable, great to deal with, but way out of his depth at Pompey and, unsurprisingly, has never managed again, opting since to work as an assistant at MK Dons, Charlton, Rotherham and Derby.

Johnny Ertl later admitted the manager had lost the players in just his second match - a 2-0 loss at Bristol Rovers - when he afterwards launched into a tirade about them on Radio Solent during his post-match interview. Sadly, he had calmed down considerably when it was The News’ turn and didn’t want to repeat himself!

Coupled with goalkeeping coach and assistant manager Anthony Williams, who was universally loathed by the players, it proved to be a disastrous 20-game stay.

Graham Rix

Focusing purely on Graham Rix’s period as Pompey manager, rather than his history before Fratton Park, it was difficult not to feel sorry for the ex-England international.

In truth, he wasn’t cut out for management - as most players of that era will gladly tell you. Rather he was a highly-talented coach and extremely popular among the Pompey squad.

Rix’s downfall was allowing himself to be dominated by Milan Mandaric, epitomised by the Yoshi Kawaguchi saga. The goalkeeper was foisted upon him as part of Mandaric’s desire to cash in on the lucrative Japanese market, which failed miserably.

At least three Japanese journalists would turn up most days at the HMS Collingwood training ground to quiz Rix why Japan’s footballing pin up wasn’t featuring and it got to the point where Mandaric instructed the manager he had to play him. Dangerously, Rix agreed to the owner’s demands, dropping Dave Beasant for Yoshi at Sheffield Wednesday in November 2001.

It’s hard to come back from that for any manager and later Mandaric again intervened to dismiss assistant Jim Duffy, but allowed the struggling manager to keep his job.

Certainly his successor Harry Redknapp wouldn’t have stood for such interference from the boardroom, but the easy-going and personable Rix was a different character, lacking the required steel, which contributed to his downfall.

However, there was one moment when he was furious with me over an article I had run following a Kevin Harper interview in which he admitted he would dive to help Pompey’s cause.

It was conducted in a Portakabin at the training ground, with The Quay’s Sam Matterface and Radio Solent’s Kevan James also in attendance. When I afterwards returned to the office, to my horror I discovered my dictafone hadn’t worked - for the first and only time in my career.

Instead I had to try to remember Harper’s words from memory and write a story around that, albeit with my sports editor Colin Channon cranking this rookie journalist’s work for dramatic effect.

Sure enough, on the team’s trip to Pompey’s next match, a furious Rix called me from the coach to deliver an almighty rollicking on how referees would no longer give them penalties following the article. The problem was, I couldn’t even play the tape back to him and blame Harper!

Following that confrontation and feeling guilty, I largely avoided the pacy Harper until more than 20 years later when I contacted him asking for an interview for Played Up Pompey Four. As he was in Portsmouth ahead of watching a Blues game, we met up at The Village.

I apologised for that story, finally unburdening myself after carrying around the guilt for two decades - yet a bemused Harper couldn’t even remember the incident!