Three days left until L-Day. Lawrence is [hopefully] renegotiating an 'affordable' deal to stay, so should be applauded for basically saying he will take a great pay-cut to stay - JUST THE SORT OF PERSON WE NEED IN A POMPEY SHIRT! That leaves Ben Haim, who appears to be playing chicken with the administrator - with the existence of the club at stake. What do you think will happen on Friday? and What will the position be next Monday, 24 hours before our League Cup clash with Plymouth?
Here it is for you, in full. Having read the theatrical media reports circulating around Portsmouth recently, I feel that it is only right that I say a few words regarding my position with the club. I signed a four-year contract with Portsmouth in 2009. Since then, because of the club’s failure to manage its finances on no less than two occasions, I have personally lost a figure in excess of £2m. I currently have approximately one year left on my contract. I want this club to survive and I will do everything possible to enable this historic club to continue to play football in the Football League. But you must understand the position of the professional football players. Since February 2012, when PKF were appointed, the only thing we have heard is that it is more likely than not that they are going to have to liquidate the club. This approach has destroyed the team spirit and led to the club being relegated from a position and with a squad everybody expected to stay in the Championship. Also, this talk of liquidation has done nothing but destroy any interest from any other party, other than Mr Chainrai, to buy the club. What a ridiculous position. As far as the latest position, I can reveal that only recently have the administrators decided to talk to the players regarding their positions. Most of the negotiations were done through the media. When they actually sat and talked to us through the manager, the majority of the players moved quickly to do what was best for the club and themselves. As far as I’m concerned, an offer has been made to me only recently. I have offered to waive a further £1.5m of my current contract. They now tell me this is not good enough. The fact is that we are only about £300,000 apart in negotiations. If they want to liquidate the club for that money while they still charge their huge fees then all I can say that the blood is very much on their hands.
Can,t help thinking that Birch has shot himself in the foot with TBH. He clearly used the News in an attempt to put pressure on TBH & this has made a difficult situation even worse. He should have known that Israelis don,t do compromise - ask the Palestinians - and certainly not under media spotlight. Difficult to see TBH moving very far - as I,ve said, Israelis dont do climbing down & certainly not in public. All discussions on this matter should have been behind closed doors
Birch's reply was that TBH is being advised by someone with an axe to grind (Admin Andy). But there is a common feeling that none of this has been conducted in the most professional manner.
Have to agree and if TBH is speaking honestly then all of the blame certainly doesn't rest with him in his personal context with the situation. Though that said, he is quoted as saying it is only £300,000 so if that is the case why not make another offer which could possibly be accepted?
TBH (To be honest, not Tal Ben Haim ), I have far more sympathy for Ben Haim then that cock Chanrai and what he says about the administrator negotiating through the press seems to support what other players have said.
Ben Haim's mouth may be moving but it's not his words coming out, probably a combination of Admin Andy and that Pini Zahivi bloke.
I wonder how truthful Birch has been about the 10th. It's risky calling his bluff, but was it all just about forcing the player's hands?
If it was then it doesn't seem to be working - an unnamed source close to Ben Haim said he doesn't believe the club will be liquidated as Chanrai won't want to lose £17m if the only barrier is TBH's £3m. But of course, this might just play into the Trust's hands as TBH and Chanrai are now at "check".
A question I have asked MR Birch directly is this: He made a public statement that if the current playing staff did not move on to another club, terminate their current contracts or renegotiate a new contract that was with in the new proposed pay scales..........then the club would be liquidated. Now, answer me this, we stil have a revenue stream coming in, we still have PL payments to be forwarded, and when he made his sstatement we still had 10 pro's on mega buck wages, nine have gone releaving the burden of finance...........so does August 10th still stand, or is the deadline more in line now with either Portpin or the trust havin to have a CVA in place prior to the season start? The whole saga stinks, I dont believe anything Birch says, having been with some of the players, he has made waaaaaay more issues then there should have been, and although I want TBH to move on and move over.......I feel sorry for him. He negotiated a ridiculous deal originally, and not a lot of it has been honoured.............. My own gut feeling, and the current vibe in the camp is that we will be ok, have a new owner and have a great season in L1..........the unknown is who will be our owner! BP
