Appy to leave it late naming Spanish tour party

But Michael Appleton has admitted he will not have a clue who is going to be on the flight until the night before their departure.

Such is the situation at Fratton Park, the Blues’ roll register is changing every day.

Players are departing, triallists are arriving, while the club are hoping the Football League will grant them approval to start signing some of their targets.

For Appleton, assessing his squad is a daily process, with the first friendly against the Hawks tomorrow looming.

On Monday, Pompey then fly out from Gatwick for a 10-day training camp in Malaga.

That will involve two friendlies – against Gilbraltar and Brighton.

However, Appleton is adamant he will have no idea who will be in attendance until the night before they leave.

He said: ‘Who knows which players will be going? It depends on how many I’ve got.

‘If I start looking beyond the next day I think I may start tying myself in a few knots.

‘It’s annoying because, as a manager, you like to be organised and have things in place.

‘You can do name changes on the flight tickets but that costs extra money to get it done.

‘Still, I would imagine we would probably finalise the group on Sunday evening.

‘In an ideal world, I would like to have a good look at some of the development boys over in Spain.

‘We have got the three young ’uns involved last year in Sam Magri, Adam Webster and Ashley Harris.

‘We’ll also have to make numbers up with triallists and take two or three players still here because they have not been able to leave.

‘At the minute, I am taking it day by day, that’s all I can do.’

One player definitely going on the tour will be Darjan Curanovic.

The Slovenia keeper is due in England tomorrow as part of a trial and will travel with the team to Spain looking to impress.