Pompey boss Harry Redknapp was today set to discuss his future with chairman Milan Mandaric.
Redknapp has endured a miserable eight days, beginning with Pompey's 3-0 defeat at Aston Villa, and ending with the 2-1 loss at St Mary's, either side of reports that former Panthinaikos boss Velimir Zejec will be brought in as director of football.
Now the 57-year-old wants to thrash out his future with Mandaric
"It's not been a good week," said Redknapp. "Thursday was a poor day. I didn't deserve to wake up in the morning and see all that rubbish in the paper, especially after the job I've done in the last two and a half years.
"I had dinner with Milan and our wives on Thursday night, we get on well 99 per cent of the time and we're good pals.
"I don't want to fall out or have a public row with him, I just want to get on with my life without any aggro. I don't need it.
"I'll sit down with him on Monday and see where we go.
"But this sort of thing seems to happen every time I get manager of the month. I must be doing too well!"
What is certain is that Redknapp will refuse to work with a director of football, having been employed in a similar role for less than a season at Fratton Park, before replacing Graham Rix in March 2002.
When asked about Croat Zejec, Redknapp added: "I'll never know him and he'll never know me, never. No chance, it's never worked anywhere else.
"Working as director of football at Portsmouth was the worst year of my life, I hated every second of it.
"Graham Rix didn't want me here and I didn't want to interfere with what he was trying to do. I felt embarrassed and if I'm not in control I'm not here.
"Wenger, Ferguson, Mourinho, McLaren and Allardyce wouldn't be where they are if they weren't in charge. And I've got Jim Smith alongside me, he's a football man so do you really think I need anyone else to tell me what to do?"
Mandaric is believed to have shortlist of four candidates, two of whom are English, while one of the other two is Zejec. But he is still confident he can persuade Redknapp to stay.
Mandaric said: "Harry's a great guy, he's a very experienced manager and I don't think he would leave at all, he's got no reason to. I'm just trying to help Harry's job but he will be in control, he will have the final word and no-one will take that away from him.
"I have a good relationship with Harry but I have to do what is best for the football club and I will bring in a director of football one of these days, and Harry knows that.
"He's been misquoted when he says he will walk out if a director of football is there.
"A director of football will be a great addition to our club, people shouldn't forget that this club was unstable on and off the field for many years and I'm trying to turn it into a well-established club.
"We are entering the 21st century, players used to play for the love of the club but now they play for money and we need help with top notch recruiting."
It now seems cerrtain that Pompey's brightest era since the 1950s could be about to end.
Redknapp added: "Sometimes you just have to look yourself in the mirror and see what you need do. The chairman can do whatever he wants with the club but I can do whatever I want to do with my life.
"I'm 57, I'm not a young man struggling to make a living, I might even buy my own football club very shortly."
Now there's a thought ...
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article