Friday 12 September 2008

Primus signs for up to 19 games

The last of our protracted Summer signings has been concluded. Harry Redknapp has finally agreed to a loan that will see Primus at the Valley for a maximum of 19 games. The respective clubs failed to agree on the term of the loan originally and the brinkmanship resulted in us missing the transfer deadline to sign Linvoy on 1st September. 

As a result, we have now got him on the 3 month emergency loan rule so Harry looks to have got his way here, as he obviously did with Martin Cranie. It will be interesting to see if there has been a further deal agreed behind the scenes that may see that deadline extended or renewed after 13th December. Beggars can't choosers so the saying goes, and I guess we should be grateful to any Premier League club who is prepared to loan us players, although these deals are two-way streets when you are paying for the privilege. 

I can't help feeling that we have done Portsmouth as much of a favour as they have for us. Cranie needs experience and Primus needs fitness. There must be an expectation that both will feature regularly, or that's the intention initally. We are short of defensive cover but Pardew looks to have given himself a managerial headache here. If they all remain fit, Yassin Moutaouakil and Jonathon Fortune will hardly be obliged to show any unswerving loyalty to Manager or Club should they effectively get a recall in December.  If Portsmouth are doing well come December and don't have significant injury worries, both players may still look surplus to requirements and presumably Pompey may be happier to let them stay assuming they are playing. So, it will be fascinating to see who plays.  Personally, if they  have been signed as temporary cover, then I'd expect to use them as such unless the performances of our own players warrant them being dropped and that time hasn't come yet.

However you look at it, we didn't plan this very well and the management of it only looks to have got worse as we tried to save face over the length of the deal.

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