mattrebello: Portsmouth 1 Leicester 1: Apple won't crumble

Monday, 28 November 2011

Portsmouth 1 Leicester 1: Apple won't crumble

ABOVE: Portsmouth boss Michael Appleton

Christmas is coming so people are bound to be concerned and it?s inevitable that some people are talking about whether their wages will be paid

28th November 2011

By Ian Winrow

MICHAEL APPLETON admits he is on a crash course in crisis management amid Portsmouth?s latest financial nightmare.

The former West Brom midfielder is just two games into his first full-time manager?s job.

But he is having to operate under a cloud of uncertainty.

Co-owner Vladimir Antonov is fighting extradition to Lithuania where he faces questions relating to his control of the Snoras Bank.

And the fears at Fratton Park are that Antonov?s assets ? including the club ? could be frozen, plunging Pompey back into yet another financial black hole.

Appleton said: ?I?ve been assured in the short and medium that everything will be OK.

?Christmas is coming so people are bound to be concerned and it?s inevitable that some people are talking about whether their wages will be paid.

?It?s been a crazy week and my main focus has been on protecting the players.?

Former Pompey striker David Nugent denied his old team-mates victory with the 74th-minute strike that cancelled out David Norris? opener.

Pompey skipper Norris said: ?We?ve not allowed the off-field matters to distract us and it?s been business as usual.?

Nugent, meanwhile, opted not to celebrate in front of his former fans but team-mate Kasper Schmeichel ? who made a stunning save to deny Dave Kitson ? believes the striker should have milked it.

He said: ?I told him he should have celebrated.

?The crowd had been on his back all game but he said he had some good times down here.?