Steve Cotterill appointed Portsmouth manager
Never mind consolidating their astronomical debt, finding a manager brave enough to take charge of Portsmouth was the club’s toughest task this summer.
But the chief executive, David Lampitt, along with the administrators has now found their man: former Notts County boss Steve Cotterill.
The 45-year-old departed Meadow Lane last month despite guiding the Magpies into League One, and will now take the reins at Fratton Park, replacing Avram Grant – the man who incredibly led the team to the FA Cup Final last month.
Portsmouth, who are recovering after a season of turmoil, were relegated to the Championship in April following a string of High Court appearances, numerous cases of players not being paid, and a nine-point deduction for entering administration.
It’s now up to Cotterill to rebuild the depleted squad and make the most of a bad situation. Regaining their place in the top flight will be Pompey’s primary aim, retaining their place in the Championship would be satisfactory. Relegation, meanwhile, could well spell the end for the south-coast club.
With debt levels reportedly being stabilised – now estimated to be around £105million – the future is finally beginning to look a little brighter for the long-suffering Portsmouth fans.
Cotterill, the former Wimbledon and Bournemouth striker, began his managerial career in the mid-1990s with Irish side Sligo Rovers. He was then appointed Cheltenham Town boss in 1997 where he remained for five years.
After that, he had a brief spell with Stoke City, before agreeing to become Howard Wilkinson’s assistant during an ill-fated stint with Sunderland.
It was at Burnley where he enjoyed his second longest spell in charge of a club, managing the Clarets between 2004 and 2007. And after a three-year break, he made a comeback to Football League management by taking charge of Notts County in February.
This latest job will be the toughest of his career, though. A poison chalice if ever there was one, the odds of still being Pompey’s manager this time next year are unlikely to be in his favour.
Meanwhile, former Portsmouth manager Paul Hart is expected to become Hull City’s latest manager. Cotterill was also interviewed for the job at the KC Stadium, but it’s believed that he preferred to stay in the south of the country.
The Tigers are still looking for a successor to Phil Brown, and it’s widely assumed that Hart will be appointed within the next week.
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