GIVEN all the stories about the place, you'd almost expect a few stains. Unpainted signs maybe, tattered fencing. Any of the Premier League-derived pomp long since taken out of Pompey. And, certainly, as you approach the Wellington Sports Ground that Portsmouth use but naturally don't own, there's an immediate glimpse of the sort of strange double-think everyone at the club has had to apply.

John Utaka walks out of the building and into the back of a brand new Mercedes, two pressed suits in hand, Dolce & Gabanna glasses on head and looking every inch the Premier League footballer. But, as the car pulls out, a crack is heard and his driver runs out to inspect. He's reversed over three cones.

"Hey, they cost money you know," comes the shout.

"And the administrator's probably f**king watching and all," is the response.

It's a joke but still not quite gallows humour. Despite all the distress this season – the financial problems, the league position, heck, the near death of the club – there's an admirable, happy determination about the place. You expect a siege mentality, you get an incredibly warm welcome from the staff. You expect problems, you see only perseverance. You also expect a pummelling any time they take to the pitch yet, here they are, in an FA Cup semi-final again. For Marc Wilson, that's been the key. Every step has been taken to ensure the players are as isolated from all the uncertainty as much as possible. So all they need to concentrate on is the cup. No dressing-rooms left dirty, no cone left unturned. Well, almost.

"That's the great thing about the people here. For all that's gone on, you wouldn't notice it. There's none of that sort of thing. Everything's kept very professional. I mean, we all know what's going on but all we can do is get on with it," said Wilson.

Well, not all. When you hear such stories, the reflex thought is of wealthy footballers being mollycoddled regardless of the mess. That's not quite been the case here. Yes, there have been redundancies at Portsmouth for the people who look after that sort of thing but there would have been far more had the players not opted to cut their wages and save others.

"I remember all the lads came together and we just had a long talk. Some of these people have been at the club a long time. It would have been a shame to lose some of them. And it can be upsetting at times. Something needs to be done at the club, to get it sorted, try and make things stable. But we've still got to focus on the football."

Not that it was all altruistic. Particularly when the players went a month unpaid.

"Well back then, a fair few are upset. But the understanding is you get on with it. A few people were put in their place. Just a few. They were upset, but different reactions are understandable. Even those that want away have got to just make the best of their scenario. A lot are in the last year of their contracts. Even if they are looking for other clubs then they've got to put in performances. That's what we still expect here. You have the likes of Jamo [David James] giving a bollocking if you don't. He's the leader here, a great guy."

If slightly frazzled after Portsmouth's last training session before the semi-final against Tottenham in what was surprisingly hot southern-English weather for early April, Wilson comes across as quite laid-back. At 22, this is one of his first interviews, but a hint of media training from a club in such circumstances is betrayed. Any answer to questions about the crisis is appended with some repetition of "just concentrating on football".

Concentration, however, is what many including Tony Adams and Paul Hart have argued is the one remaining criticism that can be levelled at Wilson's game. A tendency to momentarily let the mind drift is perhaps typical of young defenders. But that in a season of compliments as Wilson has been one of the few pluses for Portsmouth. His versatility and vibrancy from anywhere across the back or defensive midfield have secured a regular first-team place and call-up to Giovanni Trapattoni's Ireland squad. As he laughs himself, despite the defeats, drama and imminent demotion, he's "actually really enjoyed this season. That's the thing. In the past it would have been harder to get a game. Obviously I'm not happy about the nine points or the position we're in but the cup runs have been really successful and hopefully we win on Sunday. I just love playing Premier League football."

Indeed, such has been Wilson's surge, it's a fair bet he'll be still playing it next season even if Portsmouth won't. As the suits looked to a firesale in February to effectively save the club, Wilson was seen as a particularly prime asset with a move to Sunderland only falling down on a technicality. Not that he claims he wants to leave.

"I'm really happy here, I love it. But if selling me is a necessity to help save the club – which it looked like – I would go. I've been here a long time, seven years. Portsmouth is a great football club, there's a great history here. It would be nice to know the club is stable. I have developed an affinity for the place. It's home now. The fans are great down here. It's a 20,000-seater stadium but it's one of the loudest you'll ever hear. And the atmosphere at the derby, like when we beat Southampton in the fourth round, is ridiculous. Best atmosphere I've experienced in my life. I think it's one of the best rivalries in England. People think I'm joking about that. I'm not."

"And, even now, the lads are fairly upbeat. We don't talk about relegation or that. And the cup is a little bit different to the league. If you lose once you're out. But I think that's made us play well. We've had some good results against good teams. There's a buzz about it. The manager's been crucial to that too. Different class, a real honest guy. He's actually very passionate and has created this atmosphere where we give 100 per cent."

But what of the fears of the club plummeting further once they fall through the first trap-door at the season's end? "We don't consider that. I'm happy here. I'll just have to see what they're saying. I do think the nine-point deduction is punishing the wrong people, the players and fans. I think it's wrong for an off-field issue like that."

Wilson's mood noticeably lifts again when his international call-up is mentioned, even if it did cause grumbles elsewhere. The Aghagallon native was one of a recent succession of Northern Ireland youth players to opt for the Republic as soon as it looked like they were ready for senior football. A former Gaelic footballer who still makes presentations for his old club St Mary's, does he feel the IFA has a residual issue with isolating those from a nationalistic background?

"I don't know how other people feel about the situation, but that was never an issue for me. I just grew up a Republic supporter. It was something I always going to do. Didn't have to think about it. It [playing for the North as a youth] was just convenient at the time. At the end of the day, the IFA are going to be upset at losing some good players. But you can't force someone to play for a team if their heart's not in it.

"I really enjoyed my call-up to Ireland even if I didn't get to play [against Brazil]. It was a great experience, I look forward to another one. Trapattoni's a bit of a character to be fair. Doesn't actually say an awful lot to you but he's a good bloke, made me feel very welcome. It felt right."

Today, Wilson will potentially unsettle a few more figures that played a part in his development. Most of the Tottenham coaching staff in fact, not to mention a good fraction of their players. "Harry was the one who signed me when I was 15. He came over, did a presentation for my local club, Lisburn Youth, and spoke to my mum and dad. I was nervous but he helped me a lot. He's so lively and such a character. Then they've got Jermain [Defoe], Kev Bond, Joe Jordan, Nico [Kranjcar], Peter Crouch... I haven't been on to them too much. I'd text Nico but that's about it. We're confident of an upset today."

Now is certainly not the time to pay back Redknapp then. Indeed, Wilson and the rest of the Portsmouth side feel the players have already done too much of that.

mdelaney@tribune.ie

FA Cup semi-final: Tottenham Hotspur v Portsmouth, Today, 4.00, Wembley, Live, ITV, 3.30