Sacha: I’m no Abramovich
The 29-year-old is set to bankroll a shopping spree for manager Harry Redknapp this month, which has begun with the £4.1million arrival of Zimbabwean Benjamin Mwaruwari.
Mwaruwari also appeared at Fratton Park yesterday, with the deal to bring him in from Auxerre as Portsmouth's record signing complete barring the award of a work permit which Pompey are confident should be granted.
Reports suggest Redknapp will target Porto's Benni McCarthy, Aston Villa's Lee Hendrie and Newcastle's Lee Bowyer before the transfer window closes, while Panathinaikos striker Emmanuel Olisadebe has arrived on a six-month pay-as-you-play deal.
But Gaydamak also known as 'Sacha' is targeting only survival for Portsmouth at present, and will consider Portsmouth's long-term future only once that is secured.
He stressed: "Roman Abramovich and I are completely different people. In fact I feel uncomfortable being compared to him.
"He is big and I am small by comparison. We are in a different league. He is at Chelsea doing his thing and I will be at Portsmouth doing mine.
"But it is a big challenge for me and I am ready for it. Our priority is to stay in the Premiership this season but we will get to the summer and start looking ahead.
"Maybe in three to five years we can achieve something."
It took Russian billionaire Abramovich little time to make his mark, Chelsea capturing the Barclays Premiership title in their second season following his arrival on the back of unprecedented spending on players.
Portsmouth's ambitions may be more modest, but Gaydamak is relishing the challenge.
"I was attracted to the club when I came to watch them play West Ham on Boxing Day. The spirit and atmosphere was incredible. It is Premier League football and the highest standard," he added.
"I first saw an English match involving Wimbledon in 1996 at Crystal Palace but I was brought up in France among the rivalry of Paris St Germain and Olympique Marseille. I lived nearer PSG but I always preferred Marseille.
"Jean-Pierre Papin and Chris Waddle were among my heroes when I was 12 and 13, and another important thing to me was that the Marseille fans were better."
French national Gaydamak, whose Russian father Arcadi's business dealings have come under the microscope of late, dismissed suggestions he may not qualify as a director of a Premiership club.
His father is involved in various industrial enterprises in Russia and owns a medium-sized bank and brokerage company.
However Paris magistrates issued an arrest warrant for him in 2000, seeking to question him over an alleged arms-for-oil deal with Angola in the early 1990s.
Gaydamak senior insisted his involvement in that deal was as part of a legitimate agreement between the governments of Russia and Angola.
"This deal at Portsmouth is solely mine and nothing to do with my father. He knows he will clear his name over the allegations," said the new Pompey chief.
"I am in no doubt I am a fit and proper person to help run an English football club. I made my money from businesses in this country and as far as I'm aware I owe nothing to nobody."
The role Gaydamak will take is that of equal partner with Portsmouth's chairman Milan Mandaric.
Mandaric intends to carry on in that role for the foreseeable future and said: "I see a great partnership.
"Sacha made money as a young man like I did and you can see he's a very bright person.
"If I decide one day to go and buy Southampton for a little while, I don't have to worry about who is running this club in the meanwhile."
Gaydamak met Pompey manager Redknapp for the first time on Thursday night and pushed through the Benjani deal.
However, neither Banjani or Olisadebe is likely to play against Ipswich in the FA Cup third round tie at Portman Road.
The British work permit remains an ongoing pursuit for Benjani, while Polish international Olisadebe lacks match fitness.
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