Exclusive:Portsmouth transfer Q&A with Jordan Cross: Spending levels, Eisner ambition and much more
The Pompey transfer debate is raging and there’s big questions supporters want answered. From the level of spending, quality of additions, who leaves and the Eisner’s ambitions, no question is off limits as Pompey reporter Jordan Cross gives his insight.
Are the owners going to finance new much-needed players for survival in the Championship, buying a proven striker and proven defenders instead of loans?
The owners are billionaires. Why do they not invest in some proven Championship quality, surely they have more finances than many other owners in this division?
Why do you think the owners are unwilling to inject a reasonable sum to the transfer budget in order to purchase a base core at Championship level. This should have been done after promotion to the Championship, to then be able to slowly add to the group with youngsters for the future over the next few transfer windows instead of having to use the youngsters in our core team.
Well, if you’re going to do a Q&A then we should do it properly - so let’s get stuck in!
As you could imagine, there’s been A LOT of questions about the owner’s investment in the January transfer window.
So maybe the first place to start is the playing budget, which we all probably know and understand is among lowest in the division.
The owners increased the budget by a few million in the summer and then pushed things for the capture of Conor Chaplin, but the reality is Pompey are in the Championship relegation zone when it comes to the divisional spending hierarchy.
In terms of fees, players who were identified and targeted last summer moved on for effectively what was Pompey’s whole budget for fees.
Now from the Eisner’s point of view, they may look at finishing 16th last season, think they’ve upped the budget and that is enough to make the team competitive again.
But what John Mousinho and Rich Hughes did last term was massively impressive, outdid any reasonable expectations and, for my money, wasn’t sustainable.
Now factor in the reality the transfer market has shifted in the Championship, with the arrivals of Birmingham City and Wrexham and spending up £43m last summer from 2024.
The News have been pretty vocal for a long period now through articles, social media and our regular Pompey Talk videos, saying a level of backing is required now to give the football operation Championship-quality performers.
What we’ve seen so far is Millenic Alli come in from Luton Town, who may be a reasonable signing if he’s joined by another winger and has promise.
I’m impressed by the capture of Ebou Adams, I think that is exactly the kind of signing which is required and offers cause for optimism.
But ultimately it’s a capture which needs to be supported with a number of similar additions, in terms of ability.
The one other thing I will say is, judgement will need to be reserved until the window closes at 7pm on February 2. That is the time when we can fairly make assessments over how serious the Eisners are about keeping Pompey in the Championship.
Are the Eisners serious about keeping Pompey in the Championship beyond this season?
Phew, I’ve just caught breath from talking January transfer window ambitions - now it’s how serious the owners are about the longer term at this level. Fair enough, too!
I think this touches on the owner’s strategy, which I have my opinions on.
It’s becoming increasingly apparent the Eisners are acutely aware the English game is headed for a reset.
With the advent of the independent football regulator (IFR) and incoming shift from profit and sustainability (P&S) rules to a new squad cost ratio (SCR) system, change is coming.
I won’t go into too much detail here, but it’s a subject I’ve covered before in features and written about in our premium newsletters. Essentially it’s about a more even playing field, particularly in the Championship, and a fairer distribution of the £1.6bn Premier League broadcasting revenue to the English game.
Now that change is certainly on the horizon but, for many reasons, it remains to be seen how long it is before it’s felt, putting the competitive advantage sides have from massive parachute payments and owners sinking in huge sums at an end.
My question to the owners is what happens between now and that day? Can John Mousinho continue to outperform the club’s financial standing in the Championship? Is Rich Hughes and the recruitment team expected to cobble together players to keep the team up each January? That's a high-stakes manoeuvre.
I don’t think anyone is expecting hundreds of millions to be sunk into the team and, yes, the money spent on the club’s infrastructure is hugely appreciated.
But now has to be the time moves are made to bring Pompey towards the likes of Preston and Millwall, who are showing what can be achieved with even moderate resources by Championship standards.
Is there any suggestion from the club that they will break the £2m barrier to sign a player?
Sorry to be the harbinger of doom here, but frankly I don’t see this happening - not in the January transfer window anyway.
Let’s look at the case of Ousmane Sow for a little light on this subject.
The winger, who was with Polish side Gornik Zabrze until last week, is someone who was identified as a January target.
Sow last weekend instead moved to Danish side Brondby for somewhere in the region of 2.5m-3m Euros, however.
What became clear is when the price went to that level, Pompey were no longer in the conversation. That, for me, is a frustration because that is reasonably where I think the club’s spending should be now.
This time last year Pompey bought Hayden Matthews for £1.27m, the most paid for a player for 14 years, with John Mousinho publicly stating last March his belief the club would ‘push on from there’.
That, in his mind and for most reasoned onlookers, would have been paying £2m-£3m for players in the summer. It’s clear that signing Mark Kosznovsky, Luke Le Roux and Josh Knight for in and around £1m each doesn’t represent that progress.
It’s something Mousinho explicitly recognised last August, when saying ‘It’s probably not been for this window if you’re looking (for Pompey) to push to £2.5-3m.'
Now we’ve seen Millenic Alli arrive on loan and a reported £500,000 agreement for Ebou Adams.
So do I think Pompey will break £2m for a player this month? I can’t see it, I’m afraid.
Other than Jordan Archer, who's the most likely to be leaving PO4?
This is an interesting topic, given Pompey need to operate with the confines of a 25-man squad in the Championship (excluding contracted under-21 players).
There was one space left open going into the window, with Minheyok Yang recalled by Spurs and joining Coventry. With Mark Kosznovszky out for the season he will be deregistered.
So that’s three spaces with two filled by Millenic Alli and Ebou Adams.
Pompey have the flexibility of freely deregistering in January, but have to submit the squad and make the numbers work after the window's close. So players need to go with Jordan Archer the obvious, as you say.
Jacob Farrell’s collapsed loan return to Central Coast Mariners this week points to the Aussie potentially being moved on, at least in the short term.
Luke Le Roux is another interesting one for me. The South African hasn’t come up to the level so far, and I think if Pompey could recoup their fee (which may be easier said than done) they’d be daft not to consider it.
A factor which could influence that situation, is Le Roux has lost his place in the Bafana Bafana set-up in World Cup year. If he wants to be involved in North America next summer, he needs to be playing somewhere.
Tom McIntyre has been recalled and either ends up somewhere else on loan, deregistered or maybe there could be a compromise agreement over the remainder of his deal.
How much do you get paid for being on Eisners payroll?
Now that would be nice! Sadly, it’s The News’ payroll which has been bankrolling this high-end lifestyle for 26 years now. That said, if Micky E is reading I’m all ears…
It’s funny, actually, I personally think myself and The News have called out the Eisners when we feel it’s been required, yet it has to be balanced off against the positives of their tenure.
For example, criticism of their unfulfilled academy promises is fair game in my opinion, but work on the stadium and training ground progress is praiseworthy.
I do feel their ownership is now fast approaching a crossroads, however, and ultimately improvements where it matters will be telling - and that’s on the pitch.
Have the Eisners considered selling Pompey? I'm not being critical, they've done an honest, sensible, well appreciated job. However, the budget and approach means at best we'll tread water in the Championship. Pompey would seem to be an attractive option for a buyer, cheap, ambitious, solid fanbase, financially sound. Peter Barnes.
I’ll keep this answer short and use it to address the rumours this week over the Eisners selling. I asked John Mousinho this one and he effectively laughed it off.
See my previous answer about a crossroads for the owners, Peter, but I think I’m in broad agreement with your views there.
Right, last couple - otherwise I’ll still be here instead of Hillsborough tomorrow!
Do the current recruitment team still feel confident in their ability to sign better players, despite the list of failed players growing bigger?
I totally get criticism of the recruitment department, especially when considering the most recent window.
But just to play devil’s advocate for a moment, it’s probably worth highlighting they spend a lot of time identifying players who clearly would’ve been big assets for Pompey.
Pelle Mattsson is a good example from last summer, who’s done very well at Norwich this season. He ultimately went to Pompey’s rivals for £3m, is that the recruitment team’s fault?
Alternatives were then sought, with Mark Kosznovszky going from a player John Mousinho didn’t seem to know much about to a £1m arrival.
I do think some of the flak over transfer business is fair, but that has to be viewed in the context of the constraints Pompey are working under.
Are six signings really enough to help Pompey avoid relegation?
Six signings does it for me, but the crucial factor here for me isn’t the number but the quality of the signings.
I know much has been made of signing Championship experience, but that’s not the key for me: It’s about good players.
Yakubu had no Championship experience when he arrived in 2003, but he was a heck of a striker. So I don't mind decent European arrivals (he was playing in Israel).
The same goes for loans. It may be short term, but it’s the here and now we’re looking at. I’d love another Rob Atkinson and wouldn’t care if it’s temporary.
Well, that wraps up a rather lengthy Q&A for our subscribers. Apologies if your question wasn’t used, but I think I’ve broadly covered all the topics put forward.
See you next time and play up Pompey!