Zajec leaves Pompey

Director of football Velimir Zajec has resigned from Portsmouth for personal reasons.

Zajec joined the Fratton Park club last year and was caretaker manager between November 2004 and April 2005 after the resignation of Harry Redknapp.

The role for the former Panathinaikos manager was to scout for players and to improve the infrastructure at Pompey but Redknapp quit soon after his arrival.

Zajec told the club’s official website: “These are very personal reasons and I wish them to remain that way.

“Portsmouth is a special club and I wish them every success for the future.”

Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric said: “It is always difficult to lose a good person and I would like to wish him every success and happiness in the future.”

Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric had been readying himself to lose Zajec.

“It’s not a shock. We definitely didn’t want him to leave but for personal reasons we have to respect his decision,” said Mandaric. “It’s his desire. We’re losing a good man – simple as that.”

As for the reasons for Zajec’s exit, Mandaric stressed it was a complex situation.

“It’s very difficult to explain,” he told Sky Sports News. “I don’t want to go into details but it was a combination of a few things. He was never able to bring his family to England and it had a lot to do with that. Other than that I don’t want to get into details.”

Zajec’s role was primarily administrative, and Mandaric added: “We have to look to replace him and move the club forward.”

However bringing in a new director of football is not Portsmouth’s immediate priority.

After taking just six points from their opening eight matches of the Barclays Premiership season, Mandaric asserted: “Our urgency is to bring points to the table right now. I want to direct all my energy to supporting Alain [Perrin, the manager] and seeing what he can do. As for replacing Velimir, we’ll see what we can do later.”

Mandaric denies Portsmouth are a club in constant turmoil.

“I don’t think so,” he said. “Maybe it seems so to people from outside. We’re still playing in the Premier League, still playing attractive football.

“We’re building and during the rebuilding time you do have things which go wrong. Losing Velimir is not what I wanted but everyone is replaceable.”