Rich Hughes makes ‘Ruthless’ Portsmouth transfer admission after what happened in summer
Rich Hughes has outlined the state of the transfer window over the summer at Portsmouth as fans seek answers from the club.
Hughes was one of several key figures facing questions from various Pompey supporters’ groups at the Tony Goodall Fans’ Conference, the minutes of which were posted on the club’s official website on Tuesday [8 October].
The sporting director admits the club had to be “ruthless” in parting with players who had been long-time servants, and says the heart surgery for Colby Bishop altered the dynamic of the club’s transfer plans.
Hughes told supporters at Fratton Park who were eagerly awaiting answers: “We had to make some tough decisions at the back end of last season, allowing some players to leave who had played with distinguished service with us.
“That was hard to do, but the Championship is a tough, physical, aggressive league, and we had to make some ruthless decisions.
“We’ve brought 14 players in, lowered the average age of the group, reduced the number of loan signings, spent fees, and cast our net further afield to pick up exciting talents.
“The issue with Colby, which we’ll come to later, changed the dynamic of the window for us. We’d prepared for lots of different eventualities, but losing a player in those circumstances changed things significantly.
“Overall, we’re really pleased – we feel we’re stronger, younger, own a greater percentage of the squad, and feel very positive moving forward.”
Portsmouth still bedding in new signings
Hughes also said during the conference that Portsmouth did not yet have any specific January targets in mind – though this is understandable when reading his explanation on how quickly things can change.
Pompey do not yet know which areas they need to recruit in, as a lot will depend on injuries, form and specific player circumstances – both in the squad and externally – which are impossible to predict in October.
Signing 14 senior players in a new division is never going to be an overnight success, but we are beginning to see the fruits of the club’s labour with a select few.
Jordan Williams, Freddie Potts and Mark O’Mahony are among those to have shown decent performances this season, while Josh Murphy’s return to fitness will be a key boost.
With a bit of good fortune, the injury concerns that have ravaged the Blues are now beginning to smooth out and John Mousinho can begin to consistently field what he recognises as his best team.
In other Portsmouth news, improvements are clear to see in the Under-18 side of late.
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