Rich Hughes explains details behind Gavin Whyte Portsmouth exit
Portsmouth sporting director Rich Hughes has lifted the lid on the departure of Gavin Whyte from Fratton Park by mutual consent.
The Northern Irishman and the Blues agreed to tear up the remaining two years on his contract on deadline day [Portsmouth FC, 30 August], after a stint at the club in which he failed to settle.
Whyte, 28, made 34 appearances for the club but was never a regular despite high hopes from previous Championship experience, and Hughes told The News [5 September] a little more on the situation.
“I don’t know why it hasn’t worked out for Gavin, he’s a really talented boy and had worked with John [Mousinho] before. There are enough situations in football that sometimes it can happen for reasons which we don’t know,” he explained.
“I think Gavin needs to reassess what he wants to do next and what it looks like. We wish him the best.
“You can see it in family circumstances, happiness and partners, spouses and kids getting settled.”
Gavin Whyte leaves Portsmouth chapter behind
Whilst Hughes kept matters publicly coy and respectful, Portsmouth have managed to strike an agreement with Whyte that is beneficial to all parties.
The winger’s family remained based in their hometown of Belfast, which was understood to have had an effect on his happiness on the South Coast and consequently his performances.
The lack of football would not have helped, with Abu Kamara and Paddy Lane consistently the first-choice wide players in Pompey’s promotion campaign last year, the pair each enjoying a superb season.
Whyte is in the peak years of his career and must now carefully evaluate his next move, having played regularly in both the Championship and the Irish Premiership.
Northern Ireland – for whom Whyte has 30 caps – play twice this week but he has not received the call from Michael O’Neill, whose reckoning he will aim to return to having not represented his nation for 18 months.
In other Portsmouth news, an early rating of each summer signing based on potential and first viewing.
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