News coming out from Fratton Park, as yet unconfirmed, is that Richie Barker and Pompey have parted ways. The rumours have been rife all day - but nothing on the website as yet. Apparently Andy Awford and Alan McCloughlan have been called to a meeting tomorrow with McInnes.
Need someone short term to get in there that can really kick them up the arse who has the club at heart.
Neil Allen @pn_neil_allen Have been told that Barker has not - I repeat not - yet been sacked as some are claiming. Still in #Pompey role at present.
Love him, or hate him, we need a Harry Redknapp type figure to sort out our problems quickly, apply a bit of man management with the players, and commence the "Great Escape". A currently out of work Neil Warnock, on a short term contract anyone ?
Dangle a carrot in front of one of the big boys a large staying up bonus on a couple of month contract should do. You never know they might like it down here. Next season you could offer the same low wage with a large promotion payout. (Payouts obviously within safe reason)
As I said in other posts, i like many others have defended him and his tactics, but lately even I am finding his arrogance some what annoying! Two quotes from him today: RB - "I don't fear for anything. I've had many things happen to me in my life and certainly don't fear anything," the 38-year-old told BBC Radio Solent. Personally, I think he should be fearful, he could be the lemon known for taking us out of the FL........not exactly a great cap on your CV! RB - "All I can do is keep doing what I'm doing and we'll keep working and trying to do the right things,". I bloody hope not, he hasn't done anything right since he came.......and if he is going to keep doing what he is doing......we are doomed! There are rumours a rife, I am lead to believe that he has been given one more game, if we dont win on Saturday he will be relieved of his duty's for failing his contract and Awford will be installed a temp to season end.
Waiting for official confirmation - but it seems the decision has been made. BBC Solent Sport ‏@solentsport 12m Our sources say Richie Barker is sacked as #pompey manager Expand
Seems he's definitely gone (according to The News)... http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/pompey/barker-leaves-pompey-1-5962989 Richie Barker’s reign as Pompey boss is over. The 38-year-old was relieved of his duties this morning after just four wins in his 20 matches in charge, following his appointment in December. Pompey sit above the League Two relegation zone by just one place, with seven games remaining this season. Alan McLoughlin and Anthony Williams took first-team training this morning but Academy boss Andy Awford is expected to be placed in caretaker charge for the remainder of the campaign. Pompey are also expected to be chasing several loan signings ahead of today’s 5pm deadline.
I despair once more. Another manager bites the dust and we maintain our record as probably the worst club in the country for manager turnover. Cant argue that results haven't been good and the decision can be justified but I dont approve of it, and never will. As I said when Guy Whittingham was sacked, until we appoint a manager we want to be here long term and support him in good times and bad we will never progress as a club and will languish in lower league obscurity for the foreseeable future. We might as well stick with Andy Awford for the rest of the season then actually think long-term for the next perminant appointment in the summer rather than the short-term appointments we seem to always go for.
I have to agree. A massive own goal from Catlin & the board considering the time and options they had at their disposal when they got rid of Whittingham. Whilst I appreciate picking a manager isn't an exact science, they've now obviously realised they made the wrong choice. I suppose at least they've demonstrated they're decisive, but my concern now is that even if we stay up, a new manager comes in during the summer and we start the rebuilding all over again. Only to find he's not right either and we the cycle continues. An odd feeling, as whilst I'm sort of relieved to see him go I still think he should have been given the chance to try and keep us up and then be given the summer to overhaul the squad as he saw fit.
I agree. I can understand why people would want him to go but they dont seem to understand how constantly changing the manager hurts us in the long-term. A new manager means new backroom staff and a new squad and building again, which means another period of trying to get a core set of players gelled and getting things on track, and the more short-term appointment are made the more we suffer from having no clear picture and direction for the club on-field. Whatever happens to us when this season in concluded what matter for the future is that we choose a long-term appointment and stick by him so we can finally start the rebuilding process we've desperately needed.
In related news the Trust's Statement is one in which the feeling desperation is palpable: http://www.pompeytrust.com/news/pst-statement
Strewth guys I thought we were bad enough changing manager's as swiftly as we have done in the past. After twenty games seems a bit harsh. Especially with what he has had to work with.......Not sure they have made a wise decision this late in the season. Still I guess time will tell....good luck me ol' mates!!
Crawley sacked him because he wasn't winning matches for them. We have done likewise. Many of our performances since he took charge have been nothing short of dire. You would think that with Steve Coppell advising him, that we would have been more of an attacking force. O.K., he sorted out the defence to a certain extent, but as an ex striker, and Coppell an ex winger, couldn't they have coached our strikers and wingers a bit better ? Hope Andy Awford can save us from the drop. PUP
In all honesty, we're not THAT bad a club for managerial turnover. Chelsea is certainly worse, although now that they have Jose, that might stop for a while. Prior to Guy, our three previous managers left of their own accord: Appleton, Cotterill and Avram, so it's not like we're constantly sacking managers. What's happened this season is far from ideal but is a result of two very bad decisions when in came to appointing new managers. Portsmouth FC had two opportunities to hire the right manager but on both occasions, we were found wanting. Firstly Guy wasn't a great appointment and was more of a 'heart' rather than a 'head' decision, but to some extent it was understandable after the relief of the PST winning at the high court and tbf our form wasn't that bad in the second half of last season (though the damage had already been done on the pitch). As for the appointment of Barker, that turned out to be a very bad appointment. The circumstances of the appointment in the first place (i.e. the role of Caitlin) made it controversial to begin with and there were already warning signs with his history at Crawley. We had the opportunity to hire the right person at a point where there was still quite a bit of the season to go and talk of relegation was just muted whispers. We had plenty of decent candidates but we made the wrong choice as a club. Although it had seemed like the decision had already been made prior to these 'interviews'. Like I said, we had two opportunities and wasted them both. Hopefully it will be third time lucky. No going for an appointment from the heart (although personally my heart says James and Herman would be amazing, but my head says let's not do that), not going for anyone young and inexperienced but someone with decent experience of football (Cotteril was out most experienced manager since Avram and the only manager we've had who didn't lead us to relegation or on the path to relegation), not going for anyone's mate. If we stay up, I wouldn't say give the role to Awford. DEFINITELY NOT. That would just be repeating our mistakes.
