26 Jul 2010Portsmouth in critical state, says manager

Football Clubs News | Football Referees, Players, Managers and Media

Recently-appointed Portsmouth manager Steve Cotterill has admitted the south coast football club remains in a parlous situation ahead of the start of the new season.

The Hampshire outfit have come under intense scrutiny from HM Revenue and Customs during the close season, after the tax office lodged formal opposition to a deal which would have seen Portsmouth come out of administration.

"We are in a really critical state. It's impossible. I don't think people realise just how difficult it is," boss Steve Cotterill told the Daily Mail. "I don't know quite where we will be, even in a couple of weeks."

Cotterill's team are currently on a pre-season tour in the North America, but with only 17 professional players registered it is still unclear what shape the side will be in when they take on Coventry City on August 7th.

Portsmouth endured a nightmare final season in the English Premier League and highly-rated former chief Avram Grant recently left to take charge of West Ham United.

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Written by Terry Mitchell

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