Grant focused on football not funds

Soccer:Portsmouth boss Avram Grant claims he has enough problems on the pitch without worrying about what is going on off it. The new manager was speaking hours after the Premier League's bottom side strongly denied rumours it was ready to go into administration.

Speculation over the club's finances has intensified since it was revealed last week that their players had been paid late for a second time this season.

The Fratton Park outfit is also under a transfer embargo, as they still owe money to Arsenal and Chelsea for the signings of Lassana Diarra and Glen Johnson respectively.

But Grant says he trusts the Pompey board to resolve the team's financial crisis and is determined to deal with the problems within his sphere of influence.

He said: "My job is to work on what happens on the pitch.

"I know there is a situation off the pitch, but the people who need to deal with it are dealing with it. They (the board) told me everything will be okay.

"If the board makes an official statement about this, I have no reason not to believe it.

"I know they are trying their best to solve our problems off the pitch.

"I have enough problems on the pitch. We are bottom of the league and I need to deal with this."

While Pompey's financial stability is out of the hands of both Grant and his players, the Israeli is keen for his charges to focus on what they can control.

He added: "Even though this situation may not be comfortable off the pitch, we need to be focused on the pitch on what we need to do.

"Maybe it has been a little bit difficult, but this is what we need to do and that's what I intend to do.

"At the end of the day, the players are coming to play football.

"Even though things aren't settled off the pitch, we have the power to do what we need to do on it. Nobody can stop us from doing this."

With concerns still hanging over Pompey's finances, it has been questioned whether Grant will be able to strengthen his struggling side in the January transfer window.

Pompey confirmed in their official statement that the manager will be given "all the tools he needs to ensure the club reaches a position the players' performances deserve - away from the relegation zone."

With the likes of Aruna Dindane, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Kanu and Aaron Mokoena all on duty for their countries at the African Nations Cup next month, Grant admits he will need to bolster his resources.

He said: "We will have a long, long battle to stay in the league, but I think we can do it.

"For this, we need to make the squad a little bit stronger, particularly for when we have the African Cup of Nations and six players won't be here.

"Having six players leave is too much but it's a fact - we can do nothing about this. All we can do is think about the solution and we are doing this."

Despite the club's struggle to pay their players on time in recent months, Grant has no fears that potential recruits will be deterred from moving to Fratton Park in the new year.

He added: "I've spoken with players and agents and I don't see any problems for the moment.

"Of the players we are thinking about, not one of them has said they wouldn't come to Portsmouth."