‘There’s no guarantee’: Intriguing claim made over Portsmouth playing budget ahead of Championship fight with Charlton, Hull & Co
Pompey are set for an increased playing budget this summer.
Pompey should not be obsessed with playing budgets in their Championship fight next term.
That’s according to The Ness’ chief sports writer Neil Allen, who believes an increase in spending will not guarantee survival.
John Mousinho has confirmed the Blues’ playing budget will rise ahead of a crucial summer window which will see a number of new faces arrive at Fratton Park.
Pompey had one of the lowest figures in the second tier last term following their promotion from League One. However, the Fratton Park outfit secured a 16th-placed finish and ended the campaign above sides who had significantly higher spending powers.
And while some supporters want an increased budget to avoid another relegation fight, Allen insists there’s no need to panic and have what it takes to bring in the right recruits to stay up.
No-nonsense verdict over Pompey’s increased playing budget
.jpeg?trim=0,0,0,0&crop=&width=640&quality=65)
Speaking on the latest episode of Pompey Talk, he said: ‘I’m not obsessed with budgets like other people are because it’s what you do with the budget. Luton went down with a bigger budget than Pompey, Cardiff went down with a bigger budget than Pompey. In fact, there will be considerably bigger budgets than Pompey.
‘The Blues finished 16th last year with one of the lowest budgets in the division. It’s always about what you do with your budget. It’s about the quality of recruitment, the quality of your head coach and Pompey have shown they’ve got those factors at the football club.
‘Yes, Pompey’s budget will go up this year, we know that for a fact. But then it’s about what you do with it. Ideally you want it to go up a lot but at the moment they are what they are until they expand the ground and create more revenue that way.
‘I wanted Leyton Orient to go up because I thought they’d have more chance of finishing in the bottom three. It’s going to be interesting about Charlton.
‘Pompey did superbly under John Mousinho without any question and also Rich Hughes in overseeing the recruitment.
‘Logically, a bigger budget will give you more chance of staying up but it doesn’t always pan out that way. Stoke struggled with a big budget, Derby struggled with a bigger budget than Pompey, we were told Oxford have got a bigger budget than Pompey or round about Pompey’s budget and they finished below the Blues, Preston an established club too.
‘It’s about what you do with the budget. In football, there’s no guarantee that the biggest budget will get promoted but it’s clearly a factor in a season.
‘You’d be ludicrous to deny that and Pompey will be hoping Mousinho and Hughes can continue working their magic with the finances available to them.’