Grant appointed as Pompey Manager

(GSM) – Avram Grant has been confirmed as the new manager of Portsmouth.

The 54-year-old Israelian replaces Paul Hart who was sacked earlier this week after a dreadful run of results. The former Chelsea manager has been granted a work permit and will be in place in time for the match against Manchester United on Saturday.

“Avram is a very experienced and a respected manager who has managed at the highest level. The board believes he is the man to help steer the club out of the relegation zone,” said Portsmouth’s chief executive, Peter Storrie.

“He knows the club, the players and the set-up at Fratton Park, so it was the logical move to make him the next manager, once the board had decided to relieve Paul Hart of the role. He will take charge of training on Friday alongside first-team coaches Paul Groves and Ian Woan.”

Grant will still, technically, be the Portsmouth director of football for Saturday’s game. However, the club will then apply to the Football Association to change his permit status to manager. Grant spent the 2006-07 season as Portsmouth’s technical director before he joined Chelsea as director of football.

Following Jose Mourinho’s departure from Stamford Bridge, Grant was handed the charge and he went on to lead Chelsea to the 2008 Champions League final. He now takes charge of a Pompey side who stand bottom of the Premier League having collected just seven points from 13 games.