Portsmouth director Eric Eisner reveals Tornante's Championship ambitions and explains why foundations are there to make them a reality

And key to the owners’ plan is to make sure the Blues have in place a squad that will not only get them promotion – but also keep them in the second tier.

The Pompey director insisted that will require patience.

But with Danny Cowley having the board’s full support and the manager two transfer windows into a three-window transition period, Eisner revealed he had every confidence in Tornante’s strategic plan coming to fruition.

In a special interview with the club from New York, the American said: ‘We'd love to get up this year.

‘We think it's going to be a tough climb and a tough climb next year in the Championship.

‘I think it really takes three transfer windows to build the spine of your club, that's what Danny has been talking about.

‘He's had two, the summer's coming up.

‘Danny's great. You know, we believe in Danny and as far as playing style and recruiting for the playing style, all the way down to the academy, this is why you're loyal to people, this is the patience part.

‘It's annoying sometimes in the short term but a lot of times when you look, all of a sudden you look around and you have all these great young players and you have the core to a team that can not only get up but can stay up – and I think that's really the mission.

‘You know, we talk about going up a lot but the key, for me, is not being a yo-yo club and going up and down.

‘It's about going up, staying up and having young players with the kind of, what I call, hired assassin kind of loan players that can help you get up there.'

At present, Pompey sit seven points off the play-offs places but have played a game less than Sheffield Wednesday (61 points) and two fewer than Wycombe, who have the same points total.

That mean’s they remain in the hunt for a top-six finish – an ambition that is furthered by a current six-match unbeaten run in the division.

If those hopes fade it will ensure a sixth season in the third tier under Tornante’s stewardship.

But when asked where he believed the club would be in two to three years, Eisner once again reiterated that Championship stance – with Cowley’s philosophy on recruitment and playing style key to that.

‘This is what I just talked about - I expect them to be in the Championship and staying in the Championship,’ said Eisner.

‘We're not going to rise up the Championship, these league's are hard to get out of, as well all know.

‘There's always somebody else dumping some crazy money into some team and you don't see the results, so we promise we're not going to do that.

‘You see results of people like Danny that build young, hungry, a spine of a team that go up together.

‘That's what I've seen over my time so that's what we're trying to build.’

With Pompey remaining debt free despite the pandemic, currently investing in the future of Fratton Park, and having total faith in the manager, Eisner said all the foundations were there to make their vision a reality.

He admitted focus will then centre on the playing squad – but was quick to point out that a commitment to the playing side of things has always been there.

Some sections of the Fratton faithful have questioned the Eisners’ team budgets since their 2017 arrival.

The signing of players like Joe Morrell, Mahlon Romeo, Denver Hume and Tyler Walker over the past six months suggests otherwise, though.

And Eisner reaffirmed that by insisting Cowley has always had their backing financially.

He continued: ‘So, as long as we minus out the debt and we improve the infrastructure, now we will focus on the pitch - not like we haven't!

‘You know, I think we made a very smart hire in the coaches and the philosophy that we have.

‘It is the brand of football that the players and the fans want to see.

‘I feel that Danny knows what he's talking about.

‘He's made a big commitment to us. To be fair, we've made a big commitment to him.

‘Any time there's somebody targeted that he really, really wants, our ears are very open.

‘That said, there's a lot of competition out there, but you go ask Danny, he has had our full backing.

‘I think there is a little bit of misconception that he hasn't and he's refuted that, so he has had our full backing and it takes a while.

‘You know, the first thing I've seen first hand is when you switch coaches or switch managers, you have a whole rehaul.

‘They always say that's not going to happen, but no matter what happens, it's a whole rehaul.

‘So the third window is coming up this summer and I think we're playing really well.

‘We can play with anybody in the league, I know that.’