In that context, today's match with Charlton - traditionally poor finishers to a season, although the slim prospect of Uefa Cup qualification may enliven them - looks crucial. With David Pleat away fulfilling media duties, Alain Perrin will leave team selection to Velimir Zajec and Jordan, and the first game in which he will be in full control will come at Birmingham next week. By then, with Southampton, West Brom and Crystal Palace all facing testing away games - at Blackburn, Aston Villa and Everton respectively - Portsmouth could be seven points clear, and Perrin's job be all but done before he has started. Even were that to happen, though, the longer term remains puzzling. In the light of his comments about Brian Little and Gordon Strachan, Mandaric's insistence that Perrin was always his first choice strikes an odd note but, at least until he reached the UAE club Al- Ain, which sacked him in October after three months as coach, Perrin's record was exemplary.