Avram Grant threatens to field weakened team for rest of season
Avram Grant threatens to field weakened Portsmouth team for rest of Premier League season
Friday, 19, Mar 2010 11:30
By Matthew Champion.
Avram Grant says he is prepared to flout Premier League rules and put out weakened teams for Portsmouth's remaining nine games after the club was deducted nine points for entering administration.
Pompey are all-but certain to be relegated after the penalty left them with just ten points from 29 games and 17 points adrift of safety.
The south coast club have debts of between £60 million and £80 million after changing hands four times in a disastrous season and became the first Premier League club to suffer the ignominy of administration last month.
Despite their woes, Portsmouth have an unlikely chance of ending the season with some silverware after reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup where they will play either Fulham or Tottenham.
Grant said the nine-point penalty from the Premier League meant his side no longer had a "duty" to respect its rules and hinted strongly he could focus on only the FA Cup and rest his players who have a chance of playing in the World Cup.
"We don't have a duty to the Premier League, or any other Premier team," the Israeli said.
"I only have a duty to Pompey. The League have a duty to the rest of the clubs.
"I said we would fight against everything as long as we had a chance, now I don't know.
"But before I say anything I want to know the opinions of the players, and they need to hear my opinions."
Ahead of Saturday's game with relegation-threatened Hull City at Fratton Park Grant added: "Sometimes players want to play before the World Cup. Normally we say that the club is more important than any player and any manager, and the club and its future is more important than anything.
"But because of this situation in the league we need to think about other things.
"Normally I take all the decisions, and I will take them even now, about the players, how to treat them, who will play, who will not play, and the tactics.
"This isn't about the future of the club, it's about the next few weeks."
If Grant were to field weakened teams for the remainder of the season he would be in breach of several Premier League rules.
When Wolves manager Mick McCarthy made ten changes for a game against Manchester United at Old Trafford from the side that won at Tottenham Hotspur three days earlier in December the club was hit with a £25,000 suspended fine.