Pompey are without a manager following Michael Appleton's switch to Blackpool on Wednesday, and with the south-coast outfit still in administration a permanent appointment could be a long time coming.
Administrator Trevor Birch has, therefore, turned to former Portsmouth hero Whittingham to take the reins, starting at Bury on Saturday.
"I've said before that when you get the chance to be in charge of this club for however long that may be, it's a privilege," Whittingham told The News.
"But it's too early to discuss whether I would want to do the job for the longer term.
"It's not about me. The most important thing at the moment is that this football club keeps going and it comes out of administration.
"I'm prepared to do it for as long as I'm needed. Trevor asked me to take charge on Saturday, which I'm delighted to do. Then we can sit down and discuss things in more detail after the Bury game."
