PAUL HART BATTLES FOR SURVIVAL

Sulaiman Al-Fahim's protracted purchase of the club has finally been completed but this is different from many other high-profile takeovers.

There are no promises of bumper cash injections, no pledges of European domination and certainly no Pompey fans strolling around Fratton Park with the name Ribery emblazoned on their backs.

When the new owner was quizzed on rumours linking the likes of David Villa to the club, Al-Fahim responded: "We have been working on a long-term plan and a lot of this involves developing the youth academy. That is how many of the best teams have succeeded in the past."

That's chairman-speak for: "Who do you think we are, Real Madrid?"

The truth is there is just enough cash for stabilisation. The sponsorship deal with Jobsite is thought to have generated around £5million to help.

Hart did a great job to steady the ship last season and finish 14th after the departure of Harry Redknapp, Tony Adams' spell in charge, and the loss of key players.

SULAIMAN AL-FAHIM - takeover

No doubt many fans would have liked to see a bigger name in the manager's office but the least Hart deserved for stopping the rot was the two-year contract he signed upon Al-Fahim's arrival.

On the face of it, the squad is not a million miles away from the 2008 FA Cup-winning team. Unfortunately, the absentees from that Wembley date were the driving force of the side.

The team looks rudderless without Glen Johnson, Lassana Diarra, Pedro Mendes and Sulley Muntari.

In this state, no player will have a greater influence on the upcoming season than David James. The need for him to replicate the kind of form that earned him his England No 1 jersey and Portsmouth Player of the Year accolades in 2007 and 2008 is paramount.

Just look at the plight of Newcastle. If they had retained the services of Shay Given - the best keeper in the country last term - until the end of the season, they might have avoided the drop.

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It is not surprising to see Pompey linked with every player with a low price tag during this transfer window because Hart needs numbers in nearly every position.

The good news is that Niko Kranjcar has committed his future to the club for at least another year. Bad news is there isn't much else there.

Don't be surprised to see Hart linked with every midfielder under the sun. Reading's Stephen Hunt is likely to be the first through the door.

You wonder where the goals are going to come from now that Peter Crouch has gone. Maybe potential club ambassador Diego Maradona will remove some of the goal-scoring burden from Kanu's ageing shoulders.

Mark Viduka has been touted but you would have thought two injury-ravaged years at Newcastle would have put Hart off.

It is more likely that serial underachievers like David Nugent and John Utaka will have to step up to the mark, even if a £6m deal for Hajduk Split striker Nikola Kalinic is completed.

But with Nugent and Utaka boasting just nine goals in 78 appearances between them, Al-Fahim would be better off getting the chequebook out again.

In defence, the situation is slightly less dire.

Securing a right-back was a priority and raiding Espanyol for former Liverpool mainstay Steve Finnan could turn out to be a shrewd bit of business.

Sylvain Distin looks likely to go to Aston Villa once a fee has been agreed. However, the impact of this loss is minimised by the signing of Aaron Mokoena from Blackburn.

And Hart still hopes to entice Danish defender Christian Poulsen from Juventus.

BIG HOPE: Boardroom stability. The last thing Pompey need is anything distracting them from the task of staying up.

KEY IN: Steve Finnan (Espanyol, free).

KEY OUT: Peter Crouch (Spurs, £9m)

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