Marlon Pack still deserves place in Portsmouth team despite criticism at Fratton Park
Portsmouth fan and TV commentator Ian Darke has backed captain Marlon Pack to retain his place in the team despite criticism.
Some fans have called for John Mousinho to drop his skipper due to sub-par performances this season, but Darke feels his leadership is too important to shun.
Pack, 33, returned to his boyhood club in 2022 and lifted the League One title last season, signing a new two-year contract in the summer.
Speaking exclusively to Pompey News, Darke said: “Pack has that leadership and that technical knowhow. I mean, who would you pick in front of him?
“That’s the question I would ask those critics. I always feel more comfortable when he’s in there rather than anyone else from the current squad.
“What I would say, though, is that at 33 and with the way of the Championship schedule, they will have to manage his minutes and have options to rotate.”
Marlon Pack is still a vital cog for Portsmouth
Portsmouth have found it far from a walk in the park in the Championship, despite a widely acknowledged difficult opening run of fixtures.
However, it’s high time to get wins on the board now and Pack is among a few who have sometimes been found wanting with the midfield overrun by some of the EFL’s best talent.
Pack – fondly referred to as ‘the boy from Buckland’ – was crucial to promotion last year and was nothing short of an inspirational leader, earning himself a two-year extension when many of the title winners were released.
It’s now down to Pack – and Connor Ogilvie to boot – to prove they are worthy of their bumper Championship deals when others such as Sean Raggett and Joe Rafferty were considered dispensable.
The man with hundreds of second-tier games’ worth of experience is expected to lead his local team out once again in West London against QPR on Saturday [19 October].
In other Portsmouth news, fans are pleased with the ticket prices offered by Hull City for the upcoming contest.
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