Horror show: Hart had kept the team going despite
endless financial problems off the pitch
Paul Hart became the first Premier League manager to be
sacked this season amid yet more astonishing scenes at
Portsmouth.
Avram Grant is favourite to switch from the role of director of
football to manager, but odds were tumbling last night on Darren
Ferguson, the former Peterborough boss who was fired earlier this
month.
If Ferguson steps into the role he could face his father, Sir
Alex, in his first game in charge when Portsmouth entertain
Manchester United on Saturday.
Alan Curbishley has also emerged as a possible
replacement amid concerns that Grant does not yet have a relevant
work permit. But all candidates might yet think twice about
accepting such an offer when they discover how disgracefully Hart
was treated by a club that has already been badly damaged by poor
leadership. And Portsmouth’s woeful start to the season will make
the job even less appealing.
Hart gave his usual press conference to the local media at
Pompey’s training ground
oblivious to the fact that he was about to be summoned to Fratton
Park for a meeting that would conclude with his dismissal.
Peter Storrie, the chief executive whose own future, Sportsmail
understands, is in serious doubt, informed Hart that he was being
relieved of his duties as manager before then offering him a
position as technical director.
Look who's back: Avram Grant has taken the Pompey
hotseat
In a statement issued last night, Portsmouth said Hart
turned down that opportunity. But Hart, Sportsmail
can reveal, did not believe he had turned the job down, and instead
thought he had been given time to consider the offer.
Before he could reply with an answer, a statement was issued
informing the media that Hart had left Fratton Park.
‘Portsmouth Football Club can confirm that Paul Hart has been
relieved of his duties as first-team manager,’ read a
statement.
Odds tumbling: Could Darren Ferguson replace Paul
Hart as Portsmouth manager?
‘The decision has been made reluctantly by the board and
is based on results that leave the club at the bottom of the
Premier League.
‘Paul was offered the role of technical director, developing
players from the ages of 18-21, but declined the position.’ But a
source close to Hart contacted Sportsmail to challenge the
statement.
‘Paul has been offered the role of technical director. It is
something that he is considering and he has not turned it down.
Today’s turn of events have certainly been surprising.’
For keeping them in the Premier League last season and managing
the side in extraordinary circumstances, the former Nottingham
Forest boss will receive just six months’ money.
He had to watch, powerless, while the majority of his best
players were sold, and tried to maintain some stability when the
club was the subject of takeovers and, at one stage, was late
paying the players’ wages.
He also had to deal with the fact that Portsmouth are the
subject of a Premier League transfer ban and, to this day, he never
met new club owner Ali Al Faraj.
Hardly surprising, then, that the team have lost 10 of their 13
league games this season.
Striker Danny Webber, who was signed by Hart at the
beginning of the season, last night admitted that Hart’s exit came
as a shock, saying: ‘Paul was at training
today and everything was as normal.
‘I don’t think any of the players saw this coming at all. I am
sad to hear Paul has gone as I and all the lads have been impressed
with the work he was doing and how he conducted himself.
‘I don’t think anyone would have any bad words to say about
him.’
Storrie added: ‘Paul has worked under very difficult
circumstances with the financial restrictions the club has faced
since he took over.
All over: Paul Hart was unable to boost Pompey's
results
‘However, the board feels that the team should have
accrued more points to date and that we need a new man in charge to
ensure Premier League survival.
‘The board would like to thank Paul for his work not only in
keeping the club in the Premier League last season but also for his
time in charge of youth development.
‘Paul is a man of great dignity and we hoped he would stay and
help us develop younger players on the fringes of the first team.
We are genuinely sad to see him leave. Everyone at the club wishes
him well.’