From the Snooze (Monday)

[stefeni]

Alex Cisak has revealed his disappointment at his Pompey stay being cut short but revealed: I’d be happy to come back.The 23-year-old goalkeeper made a terrific debut for the Blues in the 1-1 draw at Coventry as he produced a series of fine saves.

But the Australia under-20 international was swiftly ordered back to Boundary Park after Oldham’s regular number one, Dean Bouzanis, was sent off for violent conduct in the midweek defeat to Doncaster Rovers.

That meant the Latics invoked their 24-hour recall clause and Pompey were left with just one senior goalkeeper, Simon Eastwood, in their squad.

While Cisak accepts there was little he could do in the circumstances, the Polish-born talent was happy to admit he wanted to stay at Fratton Park.

Cisak went straight into the Oldham side for their 3-1 home win over Doncaster in the FA Cup on Saturday.

He explained: ‘I spoke to John Keeley (Pompey goalkeeping coach) who said everyone was gutted and they tried to talk Oldham out of recalling me.

‘But it’s football and there wasn’t much I could have done about it. I get told where I have to go.

‘It’s disappointing because I was really looking forward to playing next weekend at Tranmere and then playing at Fratton Park.

‘I don’t know what will happen in the future.

‘But I’d like to come back again at some point in the future – if Oldham let me – because I enjoyed it.

‘It is one of those things because you never really know with football. If I am back in the team at Oldham, it all changes again.

‘I just wanted to play games and do as well as I could in those games and I’m grateful to Portsmouth for giving me the chance.’

Cisak’s future is already uncertain as he confirmed he’s in a contractual dispute with Oldham, which saw him frozen out of the first team in recent times.

But he insisted he knew he would be heading north again after finding out about the dismissal of Bouzanis on Tuesday night.

He said: ‘I found out on Twitter that he (Bouzanis) had been sent off and I knew straight away I would get recalled.

‘I just knew what was going to happen.

‘I got a few phone calls a few minutes after that and that was it really.

‘Oldham put a clause in and I don’t think they would have let me go on loan unless that was in there. But there is also a contractual dispute going on with the club at the moment, which makes things a bit more difficult.

‘I’m a bit disappointed with the way it has been handled by the club.

‘But hopefully it gets resolved.’

With Eastwood set to take over in goal for this weekend’s trip to league leaders Tranmere, Cisak has issued his backing to his former team-mate.

He said: ‘I’m sure Simon will do well when he steps in. He is a good keeper and it was good to work with him and John.

‘It’s a shame to leave because it’s a lot easier when you start training together and you get to know people a bit better.

‘As a keeper, you always need a few games to feel fully sharp.’


Gainsborough Trinity and Solihull Moors were the opposition for Simon Eastwood just six months ago.Now the 23-year-old finds himself in the frame to establish himself as Pompey’s regular keeper.

The recent departures of loan-signings Mikkel Andersen and then Alex Cisak have contrived to leave the Blues with just one shot-stopper in their threadbare squad.

That is Eastwood, who has made just four Pompey appearances in four different competitions this season.

It has been a remarkable, rapid rise for the summer arrival, having spent last season playing for Blue Square Bet North side FC Halifax.

He was a fixture for his home-town club as they finished their 2011-12 campaign in third spot before losing out over two legs to Gainsborough in the promotion play-offs.

Eastwood found himself in non-league football following a mutually-agreed release from Oxford in May 2011 as he sought a regular first-team berth.

It was intended to be a temporary absence from the Football League as he turned down remaining at The Shay and a possible switch to Conference North Bradford Park Avenue this summer in pursuit of a return.

That came in the form of Pompey, who signed him following a successful trial period.

And for the keeper who started life coming through the ranks at Huddersfield, it was a gamble which is beginning to pay off.

He said: ‘I have always believed in my own ability and that has been important.

‘To be honest, I didn’t want to drop so low as the Blue Square Bet North league but Halifax was my home town and guaranteed first-team football. It was ideal for me at that stage.

‘I am definitely a Football League keeper, though, and am grateful to be here. Now I just want to prove it.

‘When I was at Oxford I had another year left on my two-year contract but I asked the manager if I could leave because I wanted to play first-team football.

‘I was at an age where I needed that.

‘Reserve games and the first-team are worlds apart. That was no good for me so I had to go out and play.

‘It was a gamble leaving and going into non-league football but it’s something I felt I had to do.

‘I certainly didn’t want to drop that low but it was guaranteed first-team football and with my home-town club.

‘This summer it was always my plan to leave Halifax and get back into the Football League, having had a season playing regularly.

‘I actually got interest from Bradford Park Avenue, I spoke to their manager once on the phone but told him it was not for me.

‘He then put it about that he was going to sign me!

‘I have never been there once in my life, yet on the internet it is down as me having joined them! It’s a weird one.

‘There were other clubs around that were interested.

‘One of them was Portsmouth, which was too good an opportunity to turn down.

‘Michael Appleton said he had heard of me and would have a look on trial. He told me if I did well I would go with the team to Spain for pre-season.

‘It has worked out well and now, if I get my chance to keep the shirt as long as possible, I must make sure I take that.’

Guy Whittingham has admitted he remains in the market for a goalkeeper but will now focus on free agents.

Several are expected to turn up at Pompey’s Eastleigh training base this week for the caretaker boss to run the rule over.

In the meantime, Eastwood is in the box seat – and he believes he is ready for his opportunity.

He added: ‘I think I have done all right. I’ve been solid and not made many mistakes.

‘I feel confident in myself. I have been working hard and putting the time in on the training ground – it’s about transferring it on to the pitch.

‘(Goalkeeping coach) John Keeley has always told me to work hard and it will come. It has taken four to five months but it has paid off and I feel sharp.

‘Hopefully, if I can get a couple of games under my belt and get some consistency, I will fit in well.

‘I am just looking forward to it now. This is the break I’ve wanted.

‘John has told me: “It’s yours to lose. If you do well you stay there”. And that is what I’m aiming to do.’


Ricardo Rocha was making the most of the blank fixture weekend as he attempts to build his match sharpness.Rocha is in the middle of an intense period of training as he continues to further his fitness.

Caretaker boss Guy Whittingham feels not having a game on Saturday arrived at the perfect time for Rocha, after he came back to Fratton Park.

The 34-year-old has been using that extra breathing space to get his match fitness levels back after featuring in the Blues’ past two games.

Whittingham believes the defender’s nous and experience will prove a key asset in guiding him through games at present.

That will allow him to get up to speed in the cut and thrust of a League One campaign.

Whittingham said: ‘We’re in a two-week period without a game, with lots of training in between.

‘That will be a help with Ricardo.

‘He has that nous which will help him get through games and, physically, he’s fit.

‘It’s just that touch and space awareness that he’s so good at as well.

‘It won’t take him long to get there with that, though.’

Rocha’s performances since coming back to Pompey have been typically composed and added an extra dimension to a Pompey defence, which has been shipping goals all season.

The former Spurs man gave a penalty away against Leyton Orient for a foul on Kevin Lisbie in his first game back.

Whittingham thought that was harsh on him but the match proved the ideal occasion to show him what the English game’s third tier is all about.

He said: ‘People can see Ricardo’s a calming influence.

‘You could say he gave a penalty away against Leyton Orient but if that was a penalty then their striker must have a bad touch.

‘Ric has had a bit of a baptism of fire but he knows now what this league is about.

‘He’s faced a very typical League One club and that’s done him a lot more good than harm.

‘Someone of Ric’s calibre will always take up the gauntlet in these games, though. He’s that type of person.’

Whittingham knows he now faces a selection dilemma at the back ahead of the trip to League One leaders Tranmere on Saturday.

Rocha, Lubomir Michalik and Gabor Gyepes are all vying for the two central-defensive berths.

Whittingham is happy to have the headache, though.

‘We had issues with centre-halves, in terms of the lack of competition,’ he said.

‘But with Ricardo coming in we have three centre-halves.

‘You have two of them, with the third one on the bench looking to get in. We need that and we need that everywhere.

‘I’ve got a choice, three centre-halves is a lovely dilemma to have.

‘It’s a difficult one because they all have the right attributes to do well.

‘I’ll have to make a decision. That’s good that I have to make one, where before I didn’t have to.’


Mustapha Dumbuya admits Pompey are still making the adjustments in adapting their style to suit League One.The Blues’ previous boss, Michael Appleton, was keen to play an expansive style of football.

But caretaker management duo Guy Whittingham and Andy Awford identified the need for the Blues to get back to basics to compete in the third tier of English football after a dreadful run of results.

Whittingham and Awford remain keen to get the side playing an attacking brand of football.

But the pair are also determined to make sure they strike the right balance.

And while Dumbuya knows it may take time to adjust, he has bought into the new way of thinking.

He explained: ‘When we first started, it was all about trying to keep the ball but I think we’ve realised that League One isn’t always about that.

‘Sometimes, you’ve just got to turn teams, get in their faces and try to grind out results.

‘Once you do that, you can then start playing a bit more football.’

Dumbuya started his Blues career in impressive style but admits he has had to curb his natural attacking instincts in recent times, with Pompey attempting to find more defensive solidity.

He said: ‘I’ve had to adapt my game and we’ve all definitely had to do that.

‘You can’t play the same way all the time.

‘I love to run forward and people want to see me doing what I want to do.

‘But I know I have to be disciplined sometimes because I have a job to do at the other end.

‘I have to have that discipline to defend properly first and foremost.

‘That is my foundation and from there, I can push on.’

And while the 25-year-old started his career as a winger, he now relishes his defensive duties.

He said: ‘I haven’t always been a defender and, back in my non-league days, I was a winger.

‘It was only when I got into the league that I went to right-back.

‘But I enjoy the defensive side of the game these days.

‘I like crunching someone, winning the ball and I enjoy playing there.’

Cash pledges to help trust buy Pompey flood in
(l-r) Andy Awford, Pompey Supporters Trust Chairman Ashley Brown, Colin Jeram, Karen Jeram, Mandy Jeram and Steve Jeram. Pompey Supporters Trust meeting at Fratton Park to allow fans and potential backers to meet members of the Pompey Supporters Trust. Picture: Allan Hutchings (123915-317)




Published on Monday 3 December 2012 08:01



THERE was no game on, but Pompey fans still headed to Fratton Park on Saturday – this time to back the supporters’ trust’s bid to buy the club.



Chequebooks in hand, couples, families, old and young alike paid a visit to the Victory Bar on Saturday to find out how they could help save Pompey.

The event was put on by the Pompey Supporters’ Trust, which is mounting a bid to buy the club.

The trust is asking Pompey fans to make a £1,000 pledge to help fund the bid – and time is running out to get those cheques banked.

One family who turned up was the Jerams, from Bognor Regis.

Six of them have pledged to buy two shares between them, and they were at the event to give their support to the trust.

Mandy Jeram said: ‘We’re all lifelong supporters, season ticket holders, and we want to be part of the club so we’ve pledged the money.

‘We came here to show our support. We wish them the best.’

Trust spokesman Colin Farmery said: ‘The whole event went very well and we had about 100 people in through the course of the afternoon, and we were very pleased with the turnout.

‘Academy coach Andy Awford came down for a question and answer session about the footballing side of things, and what he hopes to do with the academy.

‘We have been very encouraged by the dedication Pompey fans have shown so far. We are on target to achieve our goals, but fans cannot be complacent.

‘The danger of the club being liquidated remains very real if our share issue is not successful.

‘If Pompey is going to thrive as Britain’s biggest community club, we need as many as fans as possible to get involved.

‘So far we have had around 2,000 people pledge £1,000, and at least another 1,000 get involved via syndicate schemes.

‘However, Pompey are averaging around 13,000 this season and we are convinced there are many fans sitting on the fence waiting to see what happens.

‘This event, and another planned for before the Preston game on December 15, is their opportunity to find out more about our exciting plans.’


To find out more about the trust, the shares, and how to buy one, see communitypompey.co.uk. Finance options and syndicates are available.


Online community raises vital funds for the trust


A POMPEY fan has raised more than £5,000 to help the trust take the club over.

Steve Pearse, 56 from Gosport, set up a syndicate on the truebluearmy.com message board a year ago with the aim of raising £1,000 to buy one share.

He said: ‘I’ve been in contact with many other websites across the internet. It’s a great source for everyone to get involved – even if they can put in £10 or £20.

‘It offers everyone a chance to do their part and feel involved with what the trust is doing.’