Manchester United Boss Sir Alex Ferguson Backs Avram Grant's Appointment At Portsmouth

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has offered his backing to new Portsmouth manager Avram Grant as he attempts to keep the Fratton Park club in the Premier League.

The Red Devils are Grant's first opponents since the Israeli accepted the job this week but critics have still predicted that the former Chelsea boss will ultimately struggle to steer the club away from the threat of relegation.

Ferguson has, however, leant his support to the man he triumphed over in the 2008 Champions League final in Moscow, insisting that Grant can save the club from relegation to the Championship.

"Avram is a football man and there is no doubt he will be glad to get back into the game," said Ferguson, as quoted by the Sun.

"He has a task on his hands because his team are bottom of the league. But hopefully he can manage it.

"Portsmouth have some very good players. I have looked at their videos and they may be in a false position.

"But being bottom of the league does create a reaction from owners and management of a club."

Former manager Paul Hart was shown the door by the south coast club on Tuesday, with chief executive Peter Storrie claiming he was left with no choice after Pompey's dismal start to the season.

Ferguson added: "It doesn't matter which club it is, when you have a change of ownership there will be a certain amount of disruption.

"You get new policies coming in, or there might be a new financial outlook. You can see how it can have an effect on the pitch.

"Owners of a club don't like to see their team at the bottom of the league. That is the danger position.

"If you are third or fourth bottom you think everything will be OK but when you see your team going bottom it creates a dread about where they are going to be next season."

Andrew Southwick