Pompey axe veteran keeper
Published 23:00 30/03/10 By MirrorFootball
Finnish international Antti Niemi has been axed by Portsmouth after earning £14,000 a week since August in return for two reserve team appearances and a place on the bench for one Premier League match.
The 37-year-old former Southampton, Fulham, Rangers and Hearts goalkeeper Niemi collected £450,000 in wages during his eight months” stay at Fratton Park where he was third choice behind David James and Jamie Ashdown.
Administrator Andrew Andronikou, who has already cut 85 non-playing jobs at the Premier League’s bottom club is now turning his attentions to the playing staff.
Niemi returned to Finland in 2008 from Fulham after failing to overcome a persistent wrist injury.
But he was tempted out of retirement last summer to join Pompey before the club’s dire financial problems became public.
Andronikou is hoping to sell Algerian left back Nadir Belhadj to CSKA Moscow for £4.5m but the deal is being held up by previous club Lens demanding £1m of it for settlement of money owed by Pompey.
