Portsmouth boss Steve Cotterell will turn 47 next week and his best birthday present would be a good start to the new season...and a few more players on the books at Fratton Park.
Pompey are travelling abroad next week as part of their pre-season plans but GMF caught up with the gaffer before they left....
Q. How has pre-season gone so far?
A. So far it has been good. We have trained well and played our first game against Havant and Waterlooville but now we have Chelsea at the weekend and then we fly out to America on Monday to push on with our preparations.
Q. Are you still looking for players?
A. We have a small squad. I am happy with our acquisitions but we need to increase the size of our squad if we are going to compete. You need a squad because of Injuries, suspensions and loss of form during a season.
Q. Are you close to making any new signings?
A. We are working on a few things but to be honest all the clubs are after the same players which then jacks up the price up so you end up fighting for the same players which is good for them but makes it harder for us.
Q. It seems that many clubs are turning to British players this summer to buy?
A. It seems as if it has gone full circle with a lot of Premier League clubs after British players which has to be a good thing.
Q. Where do you stand on this?
A. When I took over at Portsmouth we had a very multicultural dressing room. Since then I have changed it a little and it is not quite so much as it was but I would still take good players from wherever.
Q. You have attended a managers meeting. What are the aims?
A. Firstly it is nice to see managers in a social setting. Normally we stand up and shout at each other.
We have a bit of lunch together before we sit down and discuss any rule changes that are going to happen and about what and how we should behave.
