Grant returns to Portsmouth

Avram Grant has been appointed as Portsmouth's director of football, the club have confirmed. The 54-year-old Israeli returns to Fratton Park having occupied the same role from 2006 to 2007 before succeeding Jose Mourinho as manager of Chelsea.

It is the first significant move since Ali Al Faraj completed his 90 per cent buy-out of the club from Sulaiman Al Fahim earlier this week.

Grant, who took Chelsea to the 2008 Champions League final, will work alongside manager Paul Hart as the club aim to climb off the bottom of the Premier League with just one win from eight games so far.

Grant has also worked as coach of the Israel national team. He was one penalty kick away from leading Chelsea to Champions League glory as the Blues lost to Manchester United in Moscow and he was replaced soon afterwards by Luiz Felipe Scolari.

It is expected that Grant will work with Hart on player recruitment at the Fratton Park outfit, who were bought by Saudi property tycoon Al Faraj earlier this week after a brief, tumultuous period under the stewardship of Al Fahim.

The club lost their opening seven matches in a row and that was compounded by matters off the pitch when there was a delay in the payment of September's wages to club staff.

Speaking shortly before Grant's return, Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie moved to deny claims Hart will be replaced as the club's manager.

Speculation was rife Al-Faraj would prefer a 'bigger name' to take over from Hart, who was in charge as Pompey secured their first win of the season against Wolves last weekend.

However, Storrie has denied those rumours.

"Paul is going nowhere. He has done a tremendous job throughout and been an absolute brick," he told The News. "Now people are starting to see what a shrewd manager he really is.

"Tactically he is getting it right and is nurturing the team.

"I think everyone involved in the club saw the victory against Wolves coming.

"It was an excellent performance against Everton the week before and we are unlucky not to have come away from that even with a point.

"The eight or nine players signed before the transfer window closed have now settled and I think we've got a real balance to the side.

"So much for people having a go about supposedly having Championship players in the team. I don't think that can be said anymore."

AVRAM GRANT FACTFILE:

1955: May 6 - Born in Petah Tikva, Israel.

1974: Becomes youth coach at Hapoel Petah Tikva at the age of 19.

1978: Wins youth championship with Hapoel.

1986: Appointed coach of the senior team at Hapoel.

1991: Appointed coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv.

1992: Wins Israeli title in his first season at Tel Aviv.

1995: Wins his second title with Tel Aviv before moving to Hapoel Haifa.

1996: Returns to Maccabi Tel Aviv for a second, less successful spell.

2000: After failing to recreate the success of his earlier spell, Grant receives death threats from disgruntled fans and is later sacked. He is appointed as manager of Maccabi Haifa.

2001: Wins the title with Maccabi Haifa but is denied the chance of Champions League football after fielding an ineligible player in a qualifying match.

2002: Wins the title again and Maccabi Haifa become the first Israeli side to compete in the Champions League. Appointed manager of Israel.

2004: A disappointing qualification campaign for the Euro 2004 tournament, including a 2-2 draw with Malta, sees the media calling for Grant's head. Courts controversy by travelling to the African Nations Cup in Tunisia - officially an enemy country of Israel.

2006: Narrowly misses out on World Cup qualification after leading Israel to third in their group behind France and Switzerland.

June- Appointed technical director at Portsmouth.

2007: July 8 - Appointed director of football at Chelsea.

September 20- Put in charge of team alongside assistant Steve Clarke following departure of Jose Mourinho.

December 29- Subjected to chants of "you don't know what you're doing" as he makes two substitutions during the game against Newcastle, with victory only secured via a controversial late strike from Salomon Kalou.

2008: January: Signs Bolton striker Nicolas Anelka for a fee of around £15million.

February 24 -Loses Carling Cup final 2-1 to Tottenham.

May 11 -United win at Wigan to condemn Chelsea to the runners-up spot in the Premier League.

May 21- Chelsea lose the Champions League final to Manchester United in Moscow on penalties.

May 24- Sacked by Chelsea.

2009: October 7 - Returns to Portsmouth as director of football.