Portsmouth's owners admit their big mistake since arriving at Fratton Park

Blues director Andy Redman believes transitioning to a sporting director model should’ve taken place much sooner at PO4.

And the Tornante president has aired his frustration over a failure to deliver promotion to the Championship in their tenure, as well as seeing players departing to thrive elsewhere through their six-year period of ownership.

After months of talk over a sporting director being appointed, Rich Hughes’ arrival was confirmed last September in a shift in structure to the football operation.

Redman admitted he feels they waited too long to divide the labour and take the strain off the manager.

There is also some consternation at the likes of Conor Chaplin and big-money exits in Jamal Lowe and Matt Clarke enjoying success beyond Fratton Park, with high-profile signings such as John Marquis and Ellis Harrison failing to work out.

Redman remains confident, however, spending on the club’s infrastructure was a call Tornante got right.

He said: ‘Obviously promotion is the thing we are frustrated about, clearly.

‘Otherwise, we should have evolved to the model we have now with Rich and John, where we separated with a sporting director and head coach.

‘I don’t know if we would have ever done this year one.

‘Maybe there was a scenario where we could have done it with Kenny in year two.

‘I’m fairly confident that first summer it would have just been fairly intense to do that, when we were just coming in.

‘Pre closing the acquisition we did talk about it, but didn’t do it.

‘I think in the next year we would have benefitted from going to that structure earlier.

‘I think that’s a pretty clear one.

‘Otherwise, the stadium work is taking a long time and some people are frustrated with how long it takes, but that’s how long it takes to get it right.

‘We’re very comfortable with it.

‘Things that other people might be frustrated about, are not things we are necessarily frustrated about.

‘It’s taken the amount of time we thought it would take.

‘When I look at certain player sales, they were right because financially at the time we wanted other players to come in.

‘But you obviously regret all the players who are allowed to move on, who’ve since gone on to further successes. That’s one element.

‘But one of the biggest things I think we got right is around stadium and infrastructure works.

‘That’s because I think most people will be seeing a benefit from it in 15 to years from now.

‘I think that stuff is going to have a long-term impact on the club.’

Chairman Michael Eisner remains the club’s figurehead in terms of ownership, but it’s his son and director Eric who looks to be the most hands on at Pompey in terms of the American billionaire’s family.

He is active in his interaction with fans on social media, sometimes leading to him being in the firing line of fan anger in the Blues’ more testing moments.

Six years on from his arrival, however, Eisner is certain they made the right call buying Pompey.

He said: ‘I think we absolutely chose the right club.

‘At the end of the day, what I think we got right is we picked the right team.

‘It’s not fun (the abuse) sometimes and it’s not really appreciated, but it’s part of the game and I get that.

‘But I love the loyal Portsmouth fans and, in my heart, I know we got the right club.’