Portsmouth admit no plans to build U21 side after offering no professional contracts to scholars
Portsmouth sporting director Rich Hughes has admitted there are as yet no plans to create an Under-21 development side at Fratton Park.
Pompey’s Championship promotion unfortunately does not seem to change their stance on a professional development team.
As it stands, there is no phase between the Under-18 scholarship scheme and the first team at Fratton Park, resulting in scenarios like this summer, when all second-year scholars were released by the club.
Hughes said as quoted by The News: “First and foremost, the most important thing to say on this, we understand that this football club wants to see club-developed players, we get that.
“The problem of a development team then becomes the actual management of it, having enough players to run a solid games programme, they need to be competitive to a degree.
“It’s about cost, the return on investment, you need extra staff, you need extra resources, extra training pitches, all these things become a factor and it’s something we continue to look at and will continue to look at across a wider executive team.”
Portsmouth must look to bridge the gap
In recent seasons, the Tornante Company owned by the Eisners cannot be praised enough on the South Coast.
Not just promotion, success and excitement for the men’s team after a rollercoaster era at Portsmouth, but also the parallel achievements for the women’s team, who reaped the benefits this season of a cash injection and board reshuffle from the owners.
But the hierarchy have to place the Under-21 dilemma higher on their agendas – the acceptance of having to release a clutch of young talent because their scholarships have finished and they’re not yet at the level to compete for a first-team spot is a crying shame.
Hughes makes an understandable point about the logistics of upholding a professional development phase – namely an U21 team, which would allow players in up to their first three years on pro contracts to play consistently – but it’s tricky to see where the next club-developed player for John Mousinho’s team will come from at this stage.
This aspect becomes even more difficult now Pompey are unable to compete in the EFL Trophy, which handed several players senior opportunities in recent seasons whilst in League One.
In other Portsmouth news, the debate continues over Paddy Lane’s decision to snub a Northern Ireland call-up.
For more Portsmouth news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.