The crucial managerial dilemma facing Michael Eisner as Portsmouth season reaches critical crossroads

‘In any football club you have some dark moments, the way you get through those is belief and togetherness, with a degree of knowing where you are going and having a plan,’ he told The News.

‘These moments are when you support your manager – and that is why we are giving Danny our 100 per cent support. We really believe what we have inside the building will negate what has been a difficult period.

‘We believe in supporting the manager, there is no quick fix in football and we want to be as supportive as we possibly can.’

Since then there have been two points from three matches, boos and some scuffles between fans in the Fratton End after a credible Ipswich draw, and chants of ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning’ following a dismal New Year’s Day defeat to Charlton.

Never has Danny Cowley been more vulnerable as Pompey boss – and the Eisner family are faced with a huge dilemma.

Do they demonstrate the patience characterised by their ongoing Fratton Park regime and back their head coach, both in terms of support and the January transfer window?

Or is now time to initiate change and allow Cullen and sporting director Rich Hughes the opportunity to appoint their own choice rather than continue working with somebody inherited?

There’s just under two weeks before the Blues’ next League One fixture, with an FA Cup trip to Spurs and quarter-final Papa John’s Trophy encounter at Bolton between then, both rendered irrelevant in the current scenario.

That period of grace from this wretched league run could provide Cowley with precious breathing space to mastermind a rejuvenation – or offer the club time to identify a replacement.

With one league win in the last three-and-a-half months, cup excesses cannot mask glaring League One deficiencies, and the positive of an unbreached Fratton fortress can no longer be rolled out.

Not even the cavalry charge led by returning players from injury has provided Cowley’s team with sufficient inspiration, with the absent Tom Lowery hailed as the miracle worker he cannot possibly be.

It was January 2019 when Kenny Jackett’s Pompey, having been five points clear at the top of League One, subsequently plummeted to fourth just 44 days later – and nine points adrift of leaders Luton.

This season’s decline has been even more alarming. They entered September as leaders, yet now find themselves flailing in 12th, seven points short of the play-offs, albeit with three games in hand.

As Cowley himself has stressed, he is a fighter, a scrapper, someone who has defied footballing convention and shrugged off snobbery over his PE teacher background to establish himself as a Football League manager.

He has so far overseen Pompey for 97 matches in all competitions, triumphing in 42 of them and losing 28 times, with a win ratio of 43.29 per cent.

A good man who has connected with the fanbase and put his heart and soul into the Pompey challenge, unquestionably these are his toughest times in football.

Is he now given help or cast adrift? It’s over to the Eisners.