New Portsmouth boss Avram Grant thinks keeping club up would be like reaching the Champions League final

Avram Grant claims keeping Portsmouth in the Premier League would equal the achievement of leading Chelsea to the Champions League final.

Grant was fired by the Blues after John Terry’s missed penalty cost them the chance to lift the European Cup in the epic 2008 final against Manchester United in Moscow.

Israeli Grant begins his reign as Portsmouth boss against Sir Alex Ferguson’s side at Fratton Park today, after being given the unenviable task of guiding the hapless south coast side to safety.

Grant said yesterday: “In my 40 years in football there have always been challenges but this is one of the biggest challenges of my life.

“It was a big challenge winning the title in Israel and managing my country, a big challenge coming to Portsmouth first time and of course it was big challenge going to Chelsea.

“I am proud of what I achieved at Chelsea. I was asked to take over because the club were on their way down. They were sixth in the Premier League, had drawn with Rosenborg in the Champions League and had never been to the Champions League final.

“The atmosphere in the dressing room was very down and it was my job to take the team back to the top – I think I did a good job.

“This is a different situation because the team is bottom of the league and only has seven points but it would be a big achievement to stay up.”

Grant, Portsmouth’s fourth manager in 13 months after replacing the sacked Paul Hart, is still bitter about the way his Stamford Bridge career ended.

The ex-Israel chief was given the boot despite claiming runners-up medals in the European Cup, Premier League and Carling Cup.

Grant said: “I cannot be happy when I have left a club after I did a good job. If John had scored the penalty we would have won the European Cup.

“I am not a man to live in the past and there were so many positive things that happened while I was at Chelsea.

“I had had messages and phone calls from a lot of the Chelsea players wishing me good luck in my new job.”

Grant retains his director of football title until Portsmouth obtain an updated work permit but will be in the dugout and pick the team against United.

He added: “I had had offers from teams in Europe but I wanted to come back to the Premier League.  It was a case of waiting for the right offer and the right club.

“I came here as director of football and I think that it is a very important role, but because of the work permit I never got a chance to start that job.

“Unfortunately, the results were not so good so the board made the decision to change the manager. I feel sorry for Paul Hart, because I like him, he is a good man and a good manger.

“Man United is not the game I would have chosen to start with but I cannot do anything about the fixtures.

“I have watched most of Portsmouth’s games this season and I think the squad is as good as a lot of teams in the Premier League. It is not impossible for us to stay in the Premier League.”