Paul Hart is still waiting for a face-to-face meeting with Portsmouth's new owners Ali Al Faraj to discuss a way forward for the struggling South Coast club. Pompey currently sit bottom of the table, with just seven points from the opening 12 games.

"We were planning to meet to discuss things in November and there are still another three weeks to go in November," Hart told the Portsmouth News.

"Obviously, we need to get a strategy as soon as possible, but I have been assured that those meetings will take place.

"There is an awful lot going to happen between now and January that I am trying to concentrate on.

"I am sure we will get the direction well before that because we need it."

Hart added: "It is hard for me to say if we will be doing much business in January.

"The position with the club needs to be addressed. We are all still doing our jobs.

"We are looking at players and coming up with potential targets, whether it is for January or the summer.

"I am thinking about players that I would like, but actually getting them is another thing."

To increase Pompey's problems, the squad is set to lose some six players to the African Cup of Nations in the New Year.

"I suppose we have to pay the price for going with African players," Hart said.

"They have been available at the right price and I think they have served the club very well, but I don't know what we do.

"Until we have the direction from the top, in terms of how the club is settled, it will be difficult to make those judgements and work out what we are going to do."