Portsmouth boss’ powerful statement over playing budget with season in crisis

And Pompey’s interim head coach insisted it’s the inability to get the football basics right which are killing the team’s campaign.

Much has been made of the money afforded to build the squad this season, with the area one of the many under focus as fans look for answers to their side’s woes.

Chief executive Andy Cullen has repeatedly shot down talk Pompey are operating with a mid-table budget - and underlined the kitty has been increased and not reduced in his 18 months at Fratton Park.

Yet the Eisner’s sustainable approach to ownership and levels of squad funding is drawing fire, with it drifting towards a SEVENTH season in League One at the halfway point.

The likes of leaders Plymouth, Bolton, Wycombe and Bristol Rovers are in and around the promotion picture on resources short of the division’s heavy hitters.

Meanwhile, Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday and Derby occupy spots two, three and four with the division’s biggest budgets - and crowds to match.

Bassey is clear Pompey should be in the top-six mix - but they have no god-given right to expect that to happen.

He said: ‘Portsmouth should be looking to be in the play-offs.

‘There’s no givens in football, though.

‘Just because you get 20,000 at home doesn’t mean you’re going to be at the top of the league.

‘There are other teams who spend a lot more money and get a lot more fans than us.

‘There are big clubs in this league and you have to earn every right.

‘Nothing is won on budget - you have to run, compete and do your jobs.

‘We haven’t done that enough, that’s for sure.’

The depressing Bolton defeat makes it 10 league games without victory and just one League One success, as Pompey tumble down League One.

They are now nine points off the play-offs and seven points from the relegation places, with half the league games now played.

Bassey admitted confidence is low in the dressing room, with a need to get back to basics to start repairing morale.

He added: ‘You can see that (confidence is low).

‘This is a group which is on a poor run and confidence is quick to slide away, certainly when we’re not scoring goals and giving bad ones away.

‘It’s a bad mixture, a bad mixture for confidence and a bad mixture for picking up results.

‘We have a lot of work to do.

‘We need to get back to keeping clean sheets and being hard to beat. That’s the first port of call.

‘You start a game with one point and we’re too quickly giving points away.

‘We need to be in games more.

‘Then once we’re in games maybe our confidence can grow from that and we can take it from there, but we’re out of games too quickly and too soon.’