The Diary

02 September 2003: Jason And The Pompeynauts?

A bit of a blow for the Latics, it would seem, as their local rag was proudly announcing via billboards this lunchtime that Jase was definitely theirs, and he was heading up the M6 at a rate of knots to have a medical. Oh, whoops. And it?s not the first time it?s happened to them; they thought they?d got Shaun Goater, and Scott Murray, but were gazumped in similar circumstances by Reading. I suppose the deal?s good for us in one sense because it means we won?t have to contend with him when we play them in a fortnight?s time, but I?m not at all sure a shift to Fratton Park was the right move for the player. Jason would have gone into the first-team straight away with Wigan, but at Pompey? He might end up a squad member, at least initially, but I suppose with top scorer Todorov out for the season anything could happen. He also needs to get his confidence back on the field ? that was badly bruised last season, along with his shins, plus any other part of his body you might care to mention - and without the right support, in every sense of the word, he might well find the Prem too much once more. The terms? According to our lot, we?ll get an undisclosed sum from Pompey for his loan, and we?ll also get a payment should he help the naval port club stay afloat in the Prem. Not as good as what we would have had if Wigan had won the auction, but not to be sniffed at all the same. And, hopefully, the move will finally draw a line under what must have been an unhappy time for him.

I have to say I?ll regret his going, chiefly because had his relationship with our manager been more cordial, I feel he could have enhanced our offensive capabilities enormously at this level. If you cast your minds back to our promotion season, sure he was hampered by a nasty injury that just wouldn?t go away, but of the times he was in our squad and fit for duty, his goal-rate worked out at around one in every two appearances. Although related to one of the finest strikers we?ve ever had on our books, there was little physical resemblance between the two. Uncle Cyrille had the appearance of a boxer, and the instinct for goal of a heat-seeking missile; Jason was lithe, powerful, a greyhound to his relative?s bulldog build, but on his day, he was more than capable of emulating anything his relative achieved in the penalty area during the course of his long career.

My abiding memories of Jason during season 2001-02 have to be the one-man demolition job he did on fellow-aspirants Burnley that wintry Sunday night in front of the cameras, and what he did to then-Premiership Sunderland in the Cup at their place. Try as they might, neither the Lancashire club nor the Wearsiders could stop him, and that triumphal evening at Turf Moor, realisation finally dawned we had a rare talent on our hands. And, being given no protection whatsoever from the referee that night, he had to be taken off for his own safety. And not just that game, either; sure, he could be infuriating in equal measure, sometimes, an enigma in a navy blue and white shirt, but whenever Jason had the ball and was within striking distance of the net, his legs, his entire body, seemed instantaneously imbued with sheer power, latent, ?tis true, but even before he embarked on one of those defence-splitting runs of his, his rippling muscles and lithe, athletic build constantly conveyed the impression of powerful forces biding their time for the perfect moment to let rip. Whenever this looked likely, the sheer sense of excitement, of anticipation, among our followers was almost palpable, and Jase in the danger-area was the perfect catalyst for a stepping-up of our vocal efforts. No wonder we thought our chances of going up were scuppered for the season that night at Preston when he broke his foot again. Even now, I can clearly recall the mournful in-car post-match discussion we had on the M6 afterwards.

Come the following campaign, and our elevation to the big-time, I took it for granted Jason would blossom further. As I saw it, the Prem would give the lad more time on the ball, there would be less of the thuggery that pervades the lower reaches, his talents would be given their rightful outlet, and, at first, it seemed that would be the case. At Highbury, despite us ending up five goals in arrears, he excited. So what went wrong? Sure, Jason didn?t help his cause by going down as if shot with an elephant-gun the moment anyone violated his personal space in the vicinity of the box, but it has to remembered that better strikers than he employ similar tactics as and when the need arises. Sometimes, it works. And, like it or not, we have to take into account the distinct possibility that injustices were done on some occasions; remember Liverpool, Newcastle, anyone? Not only that, but ? and I concede I may be entering dangerous territory here ? the service he received was not always of the best, not to mention some of the tactics employed by our leader for some games. And that?s without discussing those dubious man-management techniques in greater detail.

The last problem proved to be the spark that ignited the conflagration between the two. Things, hurtful things, were said by both parties face to face, and via the internet; really, it could and should have been handled differently, but that?s all water under the bridge now. Hindsight?s a wonderful thing. The problem was, because of the very-public falling-out between the two, the Rubicon had been crossed, and even before the start of the season proper, we knew Jason?s days at the club were well and truly numbered. To see a man possessive of such talent playing in the reserves before an audience numbering only a couple of hundred souls was a tragedy, not only for Jason, but for the club as well. I?m really pleased the lad can now get on with the rest of his life at Pompey, and we can now devote our full attention towards meeting him in combat next season. There is however, a curious coda to this tale, and that?s the remarks made by our chairman this afternoon:

?When Jason?s loan to Portsmouth comes to an end, he will still have a further two years left on his contract with us, and we?ll watch his performances in the Premiership with interest?.?

You can take that at face value, I suppose, but there?s also other ways of interpreting that statement, which shouldn?t be too hard to work out using some mental gymnastics. Those who have been following this saga closely will have little difficulty deducing what I mean.

I?m also rather pleased another long-running Albion saga has now been resolved. Sekou Bertha now has his passport; it came through on Friday, so there shouldn?t be any obstacles remaining to him being in the squad when we next do battle against Ipswich. Probably the delay was due to the fact that most French people, civil servants included, prefer to go en vacance during the merry month of August, a practice which was tragically highlighted with the recent OAP death-toll during that heatwave they had. Many bodies stayed unburied simply because relatives had gone away that month, and couldn?t be contacted to make the necessary arrangements. Anyway, we?ve got him now, and he?s got nearly a fortnight to get with the flow. Mind you, the way things are going, seeing an English player out there in the stripes might well become something of a rarity in future!

And finally?.. As reported, I went to the ground today for those Crystal Place and Wigan tickets. Great to walk in and not have to queue for once. All done and dusted, but it ain?t half left a hole in my credit card account. As I said yesterday, I also handed in details for the Hartlepool ballot, if it should come to that. I?m really hoping it won?t. Let?s hope it doesn?t, as some genuine supporters may end up disappointed.

 - Glynis Wright

Contact the Author

Diary Index