Adams in danger as Pompey sink again

IF this really was Tony Adams’ swansong as Portsmouth manager, an embarrassingly hapless display provided a suitably ignominious epitaph.

Adams was still clinging to his job at Fratton Park last night as the club’s owner Alexander Gaydamak chose to sleep on his decision whether to keep faith with his embattled manager. There is no board meeting scheduled to be held today and the indications are Adams will be given one more chance.

Adams was believed to be close to resigning on Saturday night after executive chairman Peter Storrie failed to speak to him to offer reassurances over his future. Storrie is said to have simply left a message on Adams’ mobile phone, but the former West Ham chief executive is supportive of Adams, and he could play a crucial role in staying Gaydamak’s hand.

Adams has also been handed funds to bring in striker Theofanis Gekas on loan from Bayer Leverkusen and to buy Giovani Dos Santos from Tottenham. That, combined with Adams rejecting Bolton’s £2.5m bid for midfielder Sean Davis, suggests the 42-year-old could yet have a future on the south coast.

Even so, he still has a job to convince Gaydamak he is the right man to lead Pompey forward in the long-term. The former Arsenal defender has won just three of his 19 matches and none of the last eight in the Premier League. While there have been mitigating circumstances - not least following the iconic Harry Redknapp and contending with the departures of Jermain Defoe and Lassana Diarra - Portsmouth’s position is now precarious.

If Adams is granted more time, the reprieve could be brief: Liverpool are the next visitors to Fratton Park on Saturday and Pompey are now just a point clear of the relegation zone. Publicly, at least, Adams retains the support of his players. “We definitely have enough to stay up but we have to do a bit more,” captain Sylvain Distin said.

Fulham’s victory was sealed by two goals from substitute Erik Nevland, who added to Andrew Johnson’s opener, before David Nugent headed a late consolation.

FULHAM (4-4-2): Schwarzer 6, Pantsil 7, Hughes7, Hangeland7, Konchesky 6, Dempsey 7 (Gera 90, 5), Etuhu 7, Murphy 7, Davies 8, Zamora 6 (Nevland 63, 8), Johnson 8.

Subs Not Used: Zuberbuhler, Teymourian, Gray, Stoor, Kallio.

PORTSMOUTH (4-4-2): James 6, Johnson 7, Kaboul 4 (Pamarot 76, 5), Distin 5, Hreidarsson 5, Pennant 5, Davis 5, Mullins 6, A Traore 5 (Utaka 63, 5), Kanu 4 (Nugent 46, 6), Crouch 6.

Subs Not Used: Begovic, Lauren, Mvuemba, Little.

REFEREE: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire) 6: Very little to trouble the officials.

MATCH RATING: *** A one-sided affair.