Avram Grant maintains he has no option but to keep smiling despite all of Portsmouth's many problems this season, which could just end with FA Cup glory at Wembley.

The latest dark cloud comes as the Portsmouth boss prepares his players for the welcome distraction of an FA Cup semi-final versus Tottenham. Club administrator Andrew Andronikou has revealed several Pompey players may not be available after the match against Spurs because of expensive clauses being triggered in their contracts.

Better news is that Aruna Dindane can return the squad as the Ivory Coast striker has at least one more game before Pompey would have to make his loan move from Lens a permanent switch.

Grant - who also has the likes of Hassan Yebda, Kevin Prince Boateng, Nadir Belhadj, Papa Bouba Diop and Tommy Smith all pushing to be in contention at Wembley - will continue to approach what has proved to be the most testing job of his career in the right frame of mind.

"I will ask him [Andronikou]. I hope it is not true, but the situation with money here is not easy," the former Chelsea boss said regarding the contract clauses.

"But you either smile or you can cry - and I will not cry. There was not even one moment that I thought of giving up."