‘Eisner has the cash to take Pompey back to the big time – if he wants to spend it’
CHAIRMAN Michael Eisner has the financial capacity
‘to invest as much as he wants’ in Pompey and take them back to the top.
That’s an opinion shared by football finance expert Kieran Maguire – but one that will not take Blues fans by surprise.
Yet The Price of Football author believes it’s a verdict which has gained extra significance after news emerged last week that one of the Pompey owner’s businesses is set to go public, valued at a massive $1.3bn.
Topps, bought by Eisner for $385m in 2007, will merge with Mudrick Capital Acquisition Corporation
II – an acquisition vehicle which has placed the huge valuation on the company renowned for its sports trading cards.
The former Disney
CEO, who will remain as chairman of Topps, bought Pompey for £5.67m in 2017.
Since then money has been invested in both the squad and Fratton Park, although the Blues remain in League One.
Last month chief executive Mark Catlin rubbished reports that Eisner and his Tornante company, which owns the PO4 outfit, wanted to sell the club – reports that the American billionaire also dismissed.
Now fans are being told the 79-year-old has the extra financial muscle to make a significant mark at Fratton Park following his latest business deal.
But speaking to the Football Insider website, Maguire said: ‘He (Eisner) is fantastically wealthy because he’s extremely smart, even before this amazing success.
‘It’s up to him what he chooses to do with the money. But clearly, he has the capacity to invest as much as he wants in Portsmouth.
‘The only constraint is financial fair play and where Portsmouth lies in terms of his personal priorities.
‘In terms of taking them back to the top, can he do it? Yes, he can.
‘They’ve got a fantastic fanbase. Portsmouth fans have had it hard over the years so it’s good to see something like this, which is promising for them, I think.’
Despite Pompey losing £700,000 a month since the beginning of the pandemic, player sales enabled them to record a £259,950 profit on the latest accounts for the year ending June 2020.
A drop of £294,728 in turnover was recorded on the previous year – yet £2.23m was injected into Fratton Park’s coffers through profit on transfer fees received.
The latest accounts also revealed that £2m was withdrawn from the owners’ investment fund to assist with the management of the business.
Tornante deposited £10m as part of their August 2017 purchase of Pompey from fan ownership.
A total of £4m remained on June 30, 2020.
TIME flies when you’re having fun. And the landmark that Danny Cowley’s already at the halfway stage of his Pompey contract has certainly crept up on us quickly.
Cowley was brought in with 12 League One games remaining to salvage the Blues’ play-off hopes that were faltering under previous boss Kenny Jackett.
Along with brother Nicky, he took the Fratton Park helm for the rest of the 2020-21 campaign.
Tuesday night’s goalless draw at Crewe represented the former Huddersfield chief ’s sixth match in the dugout.
With all that in mind, we’ve assessed how things have changed since Cowley’s arrival, what needs to improve and Pompey’s chances of finishing in the top six.
HOW HAS DANNY COWLEY FARED?
It’s easy to become downbeat once again on the back of picking up one point in the past two games.
But, in truth, you can hardly complain about four wins, a draw and a defeat in six matches – which is automatic promotion form.
Cowley’s made a quicker impact than many might have expected in such a short space of time.
In less than a month, Pompey are firmly back in the promotion mix, rather than slowly making up ground and aspiring to nick a place in the top six, which might have been expected.
As a former PE teacher, Cowley would have been used to giving out grades.
On his halfterm report, you’d have to give him at least a B+.
HOW HAVE THINGS CHANGED? The obvious thing is the style of play and the identity he’s brought.
Under the brand Jackett championed, Pompey were methodical and pragmatic, which wore monotonous on players and fans alike.
Despite having a reputation as a long-ball merchant when arriving, Cowley’s been starkly contrasting.
The ex-Lincoln chief has promoted building from the back and playing through the thirds more.
Often one of the two central midfielders will drop deep and pick the ball up between the two centre-backs, allowing the full-backs to push on higher up the pitch.
But it’s not a style that requires patience like the likes of MK Dons and Rochdale.
Cowley wants quick, forceful passes and to create wide triangles in the final third.
As a result, it’s brought enthusiasm back among supporters, who’d become indifferent towards the end of Jackett’s tenure.
WHAT IMPROVEMENTS ARE STILL NEEDED?
It’s hardly a surprise Pompey are still adjusting to the new way of playing after four years of Jackett’s ways.
When building from the back, the Blues are getting pressed high and into making errors as the likes of Sean Raggett, Tom Naylor and keeper Craig MacGillivray get used to releasing the ball more swiftly.
What was noticeable at Crewe was there was too much space between the midfield and forwards, sometimes forcing Pompey to go longer than they’d prefer.
In the past two games, the Blues haven’t created as many goalscoring chances as they’d have liked, although there were gilt-edged opportunities at Crewe that John Marquis spurned.
What’s more, Cowley’s also keen for some players’ attitudes and mindsets to change.
Hewas concerned by the body language of a couple of his troops – thought to be Marquis and Ronan Curtis – and knows more positivity is required.
WHAT’S THE REALISTIC TARGET?
When Cowley came in, he was tasked with engineering a top-six finish.
Having dropped as low as 11th in the table, Pompey are certainly back in that mix and currently occupy the final play-off position.
With six games to go, the Blues’ run-in is highly favourable.
The highest-placed opponent they face is Accrington (both home and away), who are 11th and have won only two of their past nine games.
Should Pompey make it into the playoffs for a third successive season then, as far as Cowley’s target is concerned, he’s achieved what’s required in a bid for a new deal.
However, Cowley won’t see it as mission complete. He’ll firmly have his gaze on reaching the Championship via Wembley.
WILL COWLEY BE KEPT ON PAST THE SUMMER?
Despite being at the club less than a month, Cowley and brother Nicky have made a big impression.
Having watched many academy age groups train, shown their face during Easter halfterm soccer schools and made umpteen fans pinch themselves by following them on Twitter, there is a real feel-good factor across the PO
13
Pompey have taken 13 points from a possible 18 under Danny Cowley area.
That would be even greater on Portsea Island and beyond if we were still not living in coronavirus times as they’d have been going into local schools to inspire the next generation of the Fratton faithful.