Why Portsmouth's out-of-contract nine are going to have to hold their nerve when it comes to their future

Jack Whatmough's also gone on record now and said the same thing when asked by The News.

And the likes of Andy Cannon, Craig MacGillivray and Ryan Williams would likely echo their team-mates' sentiment if posed a similar question.

Along with the Pompey quintet mentioned, Ben Close, Bryn Morris, Duncan Turnbull and Haji Mnoga’s respective Fratton Park contracts expire on June 30.

But negotiations remain at an impasse – and they will for a good while longer.

In fact, discussions aren't even at a formative stage. They’ve yet to even get off the ground.

While chief executive Mark Catlin admitted some players have been sounded out, boss Kenny Jackett revealed earlier this month that there have been no official talks with the nine whose deals expire next summer.

Frustrating for all of them, no doubt, although the unprecedented situation that football continues to endure means they can understand why.

For starters, the Covid-19 pandemic is still keeping fans locked out of Fratton Park.

While there has been positive news in terms of vaccine trials, Pompey continue to haemorrhage circa £700,000 per month due to a loss of income.

That won’t change until the government gives the green light for spectators to return to stadia.

Billionaire owner or not, the staggering amount of cash that bleeds out of the PO4 coffers is completely at odds with any business model – especially Michael Eisner’s, which preaches sustainability.

Then factor in the League One salary cap that's still not entirely set in stone.

As things stand, it's at a period of arbitration, but the Blues adhered to the rules when voted upon in the summer to ensure they didn't outspend the £2.5m wage ceiling.

Pompey, therefore, will likely be preparing for the worst when planning for next summer, erring on the side of caution as the landscape remains precarious.

As a consequence, Fratton Park nine will remain in limbo for a great while longer.

Certainly, it must be an apprehensive time as a third-tier footballer.

As Williams pinpointed earlier in the year, players have short careers and want to secure their families' futures when retiring in their mid-to-late 30s.

Now there’s the mind-boggling but stark possibility they’ll have to take a significant pay cut to stay at Pompey if they again fail to deliver promotion.

Surely there would be the temptation for the likes of Naylor, Whatmough, Williams, Cannon and MacGillivray to get early irons in the fire and let their representatives explore the possibility of a move to the Championship.

All have proven themselves as top-end League One performers, while Naylor and Williams have played at the level before.

However, then comes the quandary of how regularly they’d feature in the second tier.

In addition, they’d have to weigh up whether they’d want to join a club whose stature compared to Pompey’s might be scant.

Would they even want to up sticks if their families are settled in the area? There is always a multitude of factors to consider.

One thing that could guarantee they remain on the south coast is by ensuring the Blues finally mark their return to the Championship for the first time since 2012.

Even if the second tier brought in a salary cap, none of Pompey’s players would likely exceed what would likely be the average wage.

But what is fairly clear is that players are going to have to hold their nerve a lot longer than previously when it comes to tying up their futures.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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