Make A Wish

Last updated : 14 August 2008 By Jim Bonner
The beginning of a new Premier League season is almost here. Here are my top ten wishes for the 2008/2009 campaign.

1) Win A Trophy

This is an obvious one as the whole objective of competitive football is to win the major honours. When Sol went up at Wembley it was probably the best feeling that Pompey fans have ever experienced when supporting the club.

But now I have a taste of what winning silverware is like, I would like nothing more than to see my team win some more. Also there is the bonus of automatically qualifying for Europe (therefore achieving the main objective of the season) if we add to our trophy cabinet.

There is also the fact that winning a trophy is more glorious than scraping together enough points to finish high enough in the long slog that is the Premier League. I would love Pompey to lift the UEFA Cup but I'd be ecstatic with any of them.

2) Bring Back The Entertaining Football

I know I'm not the only one who was bored when watching Pompey at times this season. Sure, we won more games than in any other season since we were promoted but our pragmatic approach to the game has dampened the attacking brand of football we were once known for.

Football is supposed to be an entertainment business and its certainly not a cheap hobby/lifestyle choice and so it would be refreshing to see Pompey go at teams like they did back in 2003/2004.

Of course, we conceded many stupid goals back in that season but with the defence we have now surely we wouldn't concede as many as we did back then. Besides, I'm a firm believer of "attack is the best form of defence" and hopefully our new strike partnership will agree.

3) Bring Back The "Famous" Fratton Park Atmosphere

Another thing many Pompey fans noticed last campaign was that the atmosphere at Fratton Park has declined season by season. I expect it is a combination of several factors:

The novelty of being in the top flight has worn off and as a result, fans are no longer too excited about the visit of other Premier League clubs to Fratton Park unless they are Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool or Arsenal.

I've heard some of the older Pompey fans blame the "JCL" (Johnny-come-lately) effect whilst the poor football seen at Pompey in many home games last season will have also affected the atmosphere.

Therefore I hope that the home crowd will return to the "good old days" and make Fratton Park an intimidating place to come to instead of having the likes of Spurs and West Ham fans sing "Where's your famous atmosphere?"

This request is probably futile as most of the "true fans" have been priced out of watching Pompey at home, but I do hope that the crowd can get going on European nights. Is that too much to ask?

4) No More Football Corruption

Whenever a new development in the ongoing investigation into the corruption in football is revealed it seems that Pompey or Harry Redknapp are always in the spotlight.

I believe the club and the manager when they say they have done nothing wrong but I would like the reassurance of having this case resolved and the guilty parties punished.

We are experiencing great times as fans of Portsmouth but this constant speculation is a cloud over our heads and threatens to undo all what have worked so hard for in recent years.

So I hope that there are no nasty surprises ready to rear their ugly heads this season (and by that I don't mean Iain Dowie appearing in the "away" dugout at Fratton Park).

5) No Early Exit From Europe

Like many other Pompey fans the prospect of European football for the first time ever is the most exciting thing about this coming season. My biggest worry is that it all ends too soon by crashing out in the first round against a team we've never even heard of.

Thankfully, we are seeded because we are English and therefore won't have to navigate our way past the likes of AC Milan or Sevilla to reach the group stages of the UEFA Cup. That doesn't mean we will have it easy though and a bad result in some far eastern European country could destroy everything we worked for last season.

6) Keep Hold Of Our Best Players

Namely Lassana Diarra and Niko Kranjcar. I don't think there is any danger of Defoe, Distin, Johnson or James leaving (famous last words) but both Diarra and Kranjcar are on the "most wanted" list of quite a few clubs but both remain key cogs in the Pompey machine.

It is inevitable that both will leave eventually but I'd like to keep them at the club for at least this season and longer if possible. And when they do leave I hope we get a massive fee for them.

7) A Memorable Result

We've been treated to some famous victories since our return to the top flight with more than a few victories over Manchester United as well as a couple against Liverpool.

However, we are still yet to win a league game at the homes of the "big four" clubs. How awesome would it be if we spoiled Scolari's big welcome party at Chelsea, ending their christ-knows-how-long unbeaten league run at the Bridge?

We have been so close to beating Arsenal on their own patch on a couple of occasions and would have if it hadn't of been for a diving Frenchman or an inspired substitution.

My family is full of Liverpool supporters so to get one over them at Anfield would be extra sweet for me and of course we'd all love to listen to Fergie moan if we beat them at Old Trafford again.

Failing a result at those grounds I'd happily settle for another entertaining 7-4 scoreline so long as we are on the right end of it!

8) A Result At White Hart Lane

Five games we have played at the home of Tottenham Hotspur and we have lost all of them, usually due to a dodgy penalty or a jammy goal. So it would be sweet if we could finally end the hoodoo by getting a point or even a victory, but I won't hold my breath.

9) A South Coast Derby

Despite the undebateable fact that Portsmouth are the number one team on the South Coast, there are still fans of Southampton that claim they are and then follow it up with the predictable, tired old "27 years" speech.

So it would be nice to draw their sorry lot in a cup competition and spank their sorry arses and see what the Scummers have to say after that, especially if we won at St. Mary's.

Of course, if we lost to them in the FA Cup then that would be the ultimate humiliation but that's not going to happen, is it?

10) Southampton Relegated

Having narrowly escaped the drop last season it would be enjoyable for every Pompey fan to see the Saints need a result on the final day to survive only for Robert Earnshaw or someone to score in the 90th minute.

Forest would send them down to a lower level than I have seen Pompey play at in my entire life and the smile on the faces of Pompey fans will be bigger than the whole of Hampshire!

So that's my top ten wishes of the season. I may seem quite demanding but that seems to the nature of every football fan these days. I am realistic though and know that only a few, if any of my wishes will come true this season and I will be thankful for every wish granted.

Now where did I put my magical lamp?