Rich Hughes notes ‘frustration’ in response to Portsmouth Under-21 question
Rich Hughes has explained the reasoning behind the Portsmouth approach of relying on bounce games rather than adopting an Under-21 side.
The Pompey sporting director argues that under-21 football does not replicate the “complexities” of the senior game and would provide little in-game experience to out-of-favour players in the squad.
Speaking at the Pompey Supporters’ Trust (PST) Q&A [11 November, 1:03:29], held last Wednesday [6 November] at Fratton Park, Hughes – alongside John Mousinho and Andy Cullen – issued an example of his point with Harvey Blair, who has struggled for playing time of late.
“Take Harvey as an example, he’s played a lot of Under-21 football with Liverpool and has been involved with their first team,” he said.
“One of our biggest frustrations, which we’ve spoken about internally when we’re watching these players, is that under-21 football is difficult to watch and doesn’t always replicate the complexities of senior football.
“There’s a wider development point of how you replicate a better intensity than U21 football, and for reference, Harvey played [in a bounce game] against Fulham a few weeks ago in the last international break and has been out with a little injury. It’s another example of players coming out of an under-21 environment and not being used to the intensity of a Saturday-Tuesday schedule in the Championship.”
Portsmouth finding it difficult to spread out game time
So, it appears that the primary reasoning behind Portsmouth refusing to adopt an Under-21 side is that the club feel under-21 football would not benefit their players enough.
The following issue with this, however, is that if bounce games and behind-closed-doors training ground exercises are being employed in their place, the club have a job on their hands to arrange enough of these games to give a benefit to the out-of-favour players in the squad.
If your club is competing in an organised professional development league and cups, the fixture schedule is planned out – and surely that replicates senior football to far more of an extent.
Under-21 football is not life or death, is not high-stakes and is not necessarily as competitive. However, crucially, it is the most productive way of gauging individual and collective development; allows teammate bonds to build, and pits players against those playing in a similar style of play in the same generation of football.
When players need that senior experience above anything but can’t yet break into the first-team setup, that’s when the loan system comes in.
For Portsmouth, it does appear there are too many players falling by the wayside in terms of regular minutes, whether that be in John Mousinho’s first team or elsewhere.
In other Portsmouth news, Terry Devlin’s performance against Preston has attracted attention.
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