Portsmouth great Pedro Mendes’ Championship call as Great Escape hero assesses former club’s survival chances
The former Rangers and Spurs man who sparked the Great Escape has been speaking about Pompey’s current Championship fortunes.
Pompey great Pedro Mendes has backed his old side to remain in the Championship this term.
And the Great Escape hero feels a congested second-tier table gives the Blues hope over kickstarting their season, and quickly moving up the table.
Great Escape hero Pedro Mendes: ‘I think Pompey will stay in Championship’
But the former Portugal international warned they need to rapidly start picking up points, to avoid becoming embroiled in the pressurised environment of a late-season battle against relegation.
That’s something Mendes knows all about, having played a central role in keeping his side in the Premier League against all odds in the 2005-06 campaign.
It was, of course, the Spurs signing’s late, late wonder hit against Manchester City which delivered victory at Fratton Park in March, sparking a run of six wins and two draws from nine games to keep Harry Redknapp’s men in the division with a game to spare.
Now Pompey find themselves in the bottom three after defeat to Bristol City at the end of last month, while Saturday’s trip to Charlton Athletic was abandoned after a medical emergency with a home supporter later tragically confirmed to have died.
Mendes highlighted there’s still plenty of time for John Mousinho to improve Pompey’s fortunes, with just over a third of the Championship season played.
The midfielder noted there’s been a huge amount of work put in to rebuild his old club, but ultimately doesn’t feel that will be undone come the final reckoning this term.
Speaking to Boyle Sports, who offer the latest football betting, Mendes said: ‘That would be very sad (if Pompey went down). They fought so hard to come back to the Championship, and now they're struggling. It's a long season to go as well, it's just over one-third of the season.
‘There are a lot of teams down there with few points between them. It would be sad. I think they will stay in the Championship, but they need to start winning games, start winning points, because if it goes to the end, it's a nightmare.
‘There's a lot of pressure every single game. And if the team is struggling, the players will struggle to cope with that pressure, and it will be devastating for them.’
Winning FA Cup ‘one of highest achievements’
After signing for Pompey at the start of 2006 Mendes went to lift the FA Cup in a two-and-a-half year stay at Fratton Park, before leaving for Rangers the summer after Wembley glory.
Speaking to The News when returning to the area three years ago, he ranked the run to survival and lifting the Cup closely in terms of achievements.
He told The News: ‘The goals against Manchester City are right up there with lifting the FA Cup, because they gave us the victory in what was a key and such an important moment for us.
‘It’s important not to downplay the importance of those goals. It’s not winning a trophy, but it felt like it was.
‘Of course, winning the FA Cup is one of the highest achievements you can receive as a football player.
‘For an underdog club like Pompey to lift the Cup makes it more special – but to score those goal was special, too.’