Hart eyeing psychological boost

Hart: Eyeing psychological boost

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Portsmouth manager Paul Hart is looking for a psychological boost by beating Blackburn at Ewood Park on Saturday.

If other results go their way, Pompey could be out of the bottom three on goal difference with a victory over Sam Allardyce's side.

But Hart is solely concentrating on his own team - and not others - ahead of the last game before the international break.

He said: "I'm not looking at who's playing, but I am looking at us. I know that if we get three points, we move.

"That's important psychologically for everybody going into the international break.

"It would compound their belief in their performances and what they have done over the last couple of months.

"They've played extremely well without a lot of reward for it. Psychologically, I think moving off the bottom this week would be massive for us."

No quitter

Hart also revealed he had no intention of quitting Fratton Park, even after the dismal start saw Pompey without a point from their opening seven games.

He said: "I have never walked away from a job. I've been sacked, but I've never walked away.

"To be fair, who would want to take this job on? What people do is they wait until you get into a good position and then all of a sudden they say 'Oh, that's a good job'."

Hart is hoping Aruna Dindane continues his goalscoring form after hitting a stunning hat-trick in last Saturday's 4-0 win over Wigan.

The Lens loanee had failed to score in four league appearances prior to that game and Hart believes the goal feast was just what he needed.

He said: "I think that's what he has been missing. He's very hard on himself and he felt that he should have scored before then.

"Now he has to maintain that form, but apart from scoring goals, his performances have been excellent.

Frustrations

"He has managed his frustrations and got on with his job. It's like all centre-forwards, they want to score.

"But I was telling him that he was getting there to miss them and that if he continued to do that, it would come."

Hart may be forced to enter the transfer market for another striker in January as Dindane and Nigerian veteran Kanu are likely to be selected for the African Cup of Nations.

While he refused to rule out bringing in players, Hart admitted January is not always the best time to do so.

He said: "If we do anything, there will be priorities. A striker might be one (priority) or maybe another position.

"Who's to say that January is a good time to buy players anyway? Historically, it's not. I'm not so sure it's the best time.

"Who's going to let their best players go in January and what do you actually end up getting?"