‘Mousinho can’t afford to wait’ as Poole shares confidence update at Portsmouth
John Mousinho needs Regan Poole at his best if Portsmouth are to secure Championship safety.
Pompey sit just four points above the relegation zone in the second tier after the defeat against Preston North End last time out.
The international break has arguably came at the best time to allow Mousinho to work with his squad at Fratton Park.
With just eight games remaining, the 38-year-old head coach needs to get more out of his best players like Poole moving forward.
Poole shares injury admission at Portsmouth
The Wales international has struggled with various injury concerns this season, resulting in him making just 19 Championship appearances.
Despite this, Poole signed a new contract on the south coast to represent how highly rated he is in PO4 but there is no doubt he needs to show it more regularly.
The centre-back needs to step up and prove that his new deal was deserved between now and the end of the current campaign.
With that being said, his latest admission won’t necessarily help instil confidence in his abilities after recently returning from injury.
Speaking to The News (21 March), he said: “I’ve shown glimpses of it this season, but nowhere near where I was. It’s a confidence thing really, so I just need to look at these last games this season and show everyone what I can do.
“It takes time, a lot of people have told me it takes time. There are glimpses there, but I’m definitely not fully there – I’ll get there, though.”
Mousinho won’t wait for Poole
Football is a quick-moving game and there aren’t many quicker environments than the Championship.
With promotion and relegation always within touching distance, Mousinho needs to have his finger on the pulse before making decisions.
As a result, waiting around for Poole to find his feet and hit a positive run of form without injury isn’t as easy as it may seem.
| Stat (Championship 24/25) | Regan Poole |
| Tackles won | 15 |
| Duels won | 84 |
| Sucessful passes | Successful passes |
There are other defensive options in the Pompey squad who may be injured right now, like Hayden Matthews, who will return and will be keen on taking the Welshman’s place.
It will certainly be an interesting run in between now and the end of the season to see whether the former Manchester United youngster can step up and prove himself.
Relegation is just unthinkable right now at Fratton Park and Mousinho will have to make hard decisions to make sure his side achieve their goals.