Metgod: "We were sitting on a time bomb"

Wednesday 11 February 2009

John Metgod was in heaven for three months but at the start of this week he says he ended up in hell again.

His departure as coach of Portsmouth, together with manager Tony Adams, has more to do with the financial crisis of the dubious club owner Alexander Gaydamak than it has to do with the sporting side of his adventure.

If it's up to Metgod he continuous his coaching career on the side of the Arsenal legend.

"Adams is a great coach. Working with him was fantastic. I really value him as a craftsman. If there's an opportunity, be it in England or in Holland, I would love to keep on working with him. If I have to continue by myself that is also not a problem," says the former Holland international.

The results at Portsmouth did not speak in favor of Adams and Metgod.

The duo was assigned to keep Portsmouth in the Premier League after the departure of Harry Redknapp to Tottenham.

Adams wanted to try under one condition: that the club promised him there would be no well out after Christmas, because he knew of the financial difficulties of the club's owner.

Alexander Gaydamak is the son of the Russian refugee Arcadi Gaydamak, against whom an international arrest warrant has been issued.

Gaydamak senior is wanted by the French government for his alleged role as an international arms dealer.

For that reason the multimillionaire is in hiding in Israel and he can not enter the UK.

That means he has no access to the millions that were supposed to be available for the club.

Where the owner should be investing in the club, he has been plucking Portsmouth at record pace.

During the last transfer window Gaydamak sold 40 million euro worth of players.

Diarra went to Real Madrid for 20 million, Defoe to Tottenham for 15 million.

What did Adams and Metgod get in return?

Nothing.

Well, okay, two players on loan from the second team of West Ham United and Liverpool.

No one saw anything of the money that was received for the players who were sold.

Metgod: "For three months it was great working at Portsmouth. We played some great games and even on Saturday we were 2-1 up against Liverpool. But in the 93rd minute it was 3-2 for Liverpool. The crowd had seen a great spectacle and were singing the name of the coach throughout the match. The real supporters know that Tony never had a fair chance. No club in the Premier League has lost so much quality as Portsmouth have. We were living on a time bomb."

Owner Gaydamak is peddling with his club all over the world now. The born Russian is the prototype of the new rich, who made a name on the back of football but who show no emotion or vision at the top of football.

Players were attracted with big salaries that they couldn't pay in the end.

Tony Adams says he does not regret his adventure at Portsmouth: "It's been very instructive. The next time I embark on an adventure such as this I will look out for traps even better. As a coach I know what my qualities are and I still love this trade."