Opinion: Portsmouth were in it to win it - but had everything to lose from play-off lottery

We’re often reminded of that fact each time there’s a TV competition up for grabs or the next rollover of the National Lottery is there for the taking.

It prompts many to take a punt on the glorious prize on offer – and if there’s no success, well, there’s no harm done really. There’s always next time, and the time after that!

Such a simple sentiment placed Pompey in a privileged position to nab the jackpot they qualified as one of four teams to compete in the end-of-season League One play-offs.

Envious looks were cast by those left behind as the Blues, Oxford, Wycombe and Fleetwood geared up for a format which we’re reliably told is like a lottery.

But being placed in a glorified position where we’re informed ‘being in it, allows you to win it’ doesn’t necessarily benefit you in the long run or guarantee anything.

Quite the opposite, really. Especially when that bid falls at the first hurdle.

In any lottery, life returns to normal straightaway if you don’t succeed.

The chances of winning are so extreme that you never really believe your luck will be in.

And that makes the transition to reality so much easier.

After losing in the so-called play-off lottery, however, it’s rare for life to return to as was before.

The odds are so much more in your favour, the golden ticket is within touching distance, you start imaging the new life that lies ahead – it’s only natural.

You let yourself forget the massive pitfall that lies in wait if you don’t succeed – making the re-adjustment to normality a tougher than expected task.

There’s no ‘next time’ immediately on the agenda, either.

There’s a year to negotiate before the chance my offer itself up again, if a top-two place is again not achievable.

Instead, reality bites, with a full inquest often the go-to strategy as part of the coping mechanism.

The likes of manager Kenny Jackett and chairman Mark Catlin were locked in talks in the days following the Kassam Stadium defeat to Oxford, no doubt analysing in detail what could have been done better and how the club moves forward.

But spare a thought for U’s boss Karl Robinson after he witnessed his side fall short at Wembley on Monday night as they suffered a 2-1 final loss to Wycombe.

That inquest started immediately on the side of the pitch, with the Oxford manager admitting then and there to reporters that he had no idea what the future held for him and his players.

Two hours earlier, his Championship dream was within grasp, a bright future was temptingly on the horizon. Now that dream was a distant memory.

Pompey, like most clubs in their position, after their semi-final final defeat to U’s, got the ball rolling by announcing their retained list – a process that saw the likes of Brett Pitman and Oli Hawkins depart.

Meanwhile, part of the aftermath also saw the club bid farewell to loanees who had been key to their now failed promotion push, with Sean Raggett, Cameron McGeehan, Steve Seddon and Ross McCrorie all leaving with no-one really knowing if they’ll be back.

The dismantling of the one-time dream, the vehicle that would and perhaps should have taken us to the Championship, was taking place for all to see, leaving behind a modest-looking shell.

We must not also forget the departure of Christian Burgess – a player who rightly earned recognition for his performances this term and whose five years at Fratton Park earned him much respect among everyone associated with the club.

The defender’s exit is not exactly a consequence of Pompey’s failure to win promotion.

But it’s a farewell that certainly makes post-play-off defeat life, and another year in League One, harder to come to terms with.

The bleak outlook that lies ahead also does little to lighten the mood or cushion the fall.

Proposed salary caps and the tightening of purse strings are just some of the key issues that dominate the agenda moving forward.

Meanwhile, there remains the difficulty of rebuilding a squad that can go one step further next time, plus motivating those still hurting to do it all again.

Clubs who missed out of promotion and the play-offs have had time to take stock of such ramifications to their own particular seasons and the impact of coronavirus, after all they knew their fates early last month.

For Pompey and the other failed play-off hopefuls, however, it’s a reality they’re quickly having to adjust to, irrespective of any sensible planning that may have preceded their recent outings.

All of a sudden the temptations, the lure, the rewards, the plans put in place on the chance of Championship football have all been replaced by inquests, consequences and, dare I say it, question marks over perceived ways forward.

Life can quickly change if you come through the play-offs unscathed – there’s riches to behold.

For those like the Blues who failed to land the winning lottery ticket, the fallout can be immense.

There’s long-lasting consequences to overcome and little time to come to terms with the disappointment.

Pompey were definitely in it to win it – but they had everything to lose, too.