View: Portsmouth Women right to install some consistency as team enters professional era
Portsmouth Women have made the right call in retaining key players for next season, as the team enters its professional era.
After storming the Women’s National League southern section in 2023-24, Jay Sadler’s side will turn full-time this summer after just a year as a semi-professional outfit.
With a clutch of new staff being recruited in an already underway process, Pompey have also taken up the contract extension options on five players: Nicole Barrett, Jazz Younger, Ava Rowbotham, Emma Jones and Izzy Collins.
Portsmouth Women retain key players for first professional season
Whilst several free agent stars naturally did leave the Blues following the conclusion of the triumphant campaign – 10 to be precise – it’s a huge boost that Portsmouth have been able to keep hold of experienced stars such as this quintet, particularly with the numbers some have produced.
There are internationals and key Championship experience among the Pompey squad as they look to navigate the demands of their inaugural season in the second tier.
This is the main reason why the squad needed some consistency and for the foundations to remain in place in the dressing room – why fix what isn’t broken?
There is enough transition going on around the women’s side of the football club without the need for ripping up the floorboards, and Sadler will no doubt be buoyed by keeping these five at his disposal, alongside the seven who remain under contract.
Recruitment is now a priority in locating more experienced players to bulk out the squad and give it that bit of required nous at this level – and a full-time General Manager will help Sadler out in this regard tremendously.
In other Portsmouth news, the club are interested in bringing a League One captain to Fratton Park.
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