Pompey concentrate on job in hand

Portsmouth caretaker boss Joe Jordan has told his squad to forget about Alain Perrin’s sacking and instead concentrate on beating Chelsea.

Jordan takes control at Fratton Park for the visit of the Barclays Premiership champions after the dismissal of Perrin on Wednesday.

With chairman Milan Mandaric yet to decide on a long-term appointment, Jordan has full control of first-team affairs at the moment.

Jordan said: “In my view I think the next game is always the most important, so in that respect this is the one we’re all focusing on.

“There have been a lot of important games during my time here at Portsmouth. Not just the Chelsea game.

“Even though they were beaten by Manchester United a couple of weeks ago I think on current form, and that stretches back quite a while, they are the team of the moment.

“They are the champions, are doing well in Europe and there’s a consistency in their play.

“You go into every game trying to maximise the players you have and try to get them to compliment each other and give us a team performance.

“I think Chelsea are about that, as are the great teams of the past.”

It is the second time Jordan has taken control at Pompey in such circumstances.

When Harry Redknapp walked out of Fratton Park to Southampton last November Jordan worked in tandem with the now departed Velimir Zajec until Perrin’s appointment in April.

Jordan added: “It’s a bit difficult than last time because I will do all the preparation for the game and pick the team.”

Perrin’s number two Christophe Galtier and goalkeeping coach Gilles Bourge remain at the club and according to Jordan will continue to work with him for the foreseeable future.

Jordan will be hoping to reverse Pompey’s undesirable record against Chelsea in the Premiership where they have lost four times in succession.

Jordan added: “I don’t think I’ll have to get the boys too motivated because facing a side like Chelsea is motivation in itself.

“The players will want a point to prove to themselves and others also.

“There will changes to the team and people will have to wait and see what they are.

“The important thing is that we get players working as a unit whether they are not on the pitch or the bench.

“If that happens over 90 minutes who knows what can happen?”

Meanwhile, Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock has been linked with taking over at Fratton Park on a permanent basis.

Blades’ former Portsmouth defender David Unsworth has expressed fears that his present boss may be tempted to the south coast, where Pompey are reportedly ready to double his present annual pay-packet, believed to be around £400,000 (€585,200).

“This rumour does not seem to go away,” said Unsworth who was given a free transfer from Fratton Park at the end of last season having spent a spell on loan at Ipswich.

“With the events that have happened it looks more and more likely to come true. I want Neil to stay but you cannot ignore the speculation.”

Mandaric’s wanted list is also understood to include such names as Roy Keane, Bobby Robson, George Burley, David Pleat and Ian Dowie.

And a new name on that list is Ruud Gullit, the former Chelsea and Newcastle manager who left a managerial role with Feyenoord in his native Holland last year and recently signed a contract as a pundit on Sky TV’s Champions League coverage.

Mandaric has insisted he has still not decided which way to go.