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Boateng launches attack on 'amateurish' Pompey

Kevin-Prince Boateng is out with a torn ankle ligament © Getty Images

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Kevin-Prince Boateng has slammed Portsmouth over his injury a day after they pleaded with the game's governing bodies to be allowed to sell players.

Boateng will be out for weeks with a torn ankle ligament which, he claims in a German magazine interview, was mis-diagnosed by the club's medical staff.

Pompey need £4 million immediately in order to stay in business and have appealed for permission to sell players outside of the transfer window. Boateng is one player who has been suggested as a saleable asset, but as he has also played for Tottenham this season too there is virtually no chance that FIFA would sanction his sale - even if he was fit.

The former Germany Under-21 international has branded the club as "amateurish'' for their handling of his situation.

"At my club Portsmouth my foot pains were diagnosed as a strain of the syndesmotic ligament,'' Boateng said in the Sport Bild magazine. "Now doctors in Cologne have confirmed that the ligament is torn and I will be out for weeks.''

The German-born player, who has committed to playing international football for Ghana, said: "The World Cup is not in danger, but I had tears in my eyes. Earlier I myself was responsible for the setbacks in my career, now the medical support is amateurish.

"I am mad. At Portsmouth we don't have the level of medical care like there is at (Boateng's former German clubs) Hertha Berlin and Borussia Dortmund.''

Boateng has, though, credited Portsmouth manager Avram Grant and former boss Paul Hart with helping him get his career back on track.

"The best clobber was important to me - and that I was known in nightclubs. It got completely out of hand,'' Boateng said. "I bought three cars in one day. For a high six-figure sum I got a Lamborghini, a Hummer and a Cadillac Oldtimer.

"In addition, from that time I still today have around 200 caps, around 20 leather jackets and 160 pairs of shoes. I had, because of my frustration, an enormous appetite for shopping.''

He remarked that he had "no desire to train in the morning'' and sometimes "squandered inconceivably large amounts of money in the nights''.

"But it all did not make me happy. I was broken, in another world,'' Boateng said.

"I know today that a high percentage of my colleagues are insolvent after their career. That will not happen with me. I put a portion of my salary to the side. My cars have all been sold.

"Some top clubs are interested in me. My next contract will be with a top European club. A return to the Bundesliga would be super.''

Grant is ready to accept players being sold behind his back - for the first and last time in his career. He said: "It has happened to me for the first time in my life.

"I needed to take a decision, and I took a decision to stay and do everything I could for the club. There are many things that have happened here that I don't like. Things have happened here that I never accepted in the past and I will not accept in the future.

"But because of the club and the fans, I am trying to do the best I can with this situation.''

After the high of knocking local rivals Southampton out of the FA Cup last weekend, Grant admits he was brought back down to earth with a bump when he heard news of Portsmouth considering more player sales.

He said: "At the beginning, I thought it was a joke. But now I know it is not a joke. I don't even want to talk about this because I came to this club to do something.

"But every week, or every day sometimes, there is a new thing and I don't know whether these things are sad or funny sometimes. Everything happens after we get a good result - something happened after the wins against Burnley and Liverpool.

"We got a good result against Southampton and I thought nothing could happen now because there is no transfer window. You cannot say there is no creativity at this club.

"I'm not happy with the situation because when you promise something, you need to keep your promise. I know it's not easy in football and I know not 100 per cent of the things I want can be done. But it's not possible that 100 per cent of the things will not be done.

"I don't know who is at fault - I am not involved with the financial situation. But I'm trying not to think about myself at the moment and I'll give everything to the team, which is important for the future of the club.

"I know not many people believed I would stay two months ago, but I stayed even though the situation was very bad.''

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