credit:Imago

Carla Devine

Thu 27 March 2025 23:00, UK

John Mousinho has plenty on his plate as Portsmouth prepare to return from the international break and fight for their place in the Championship.

Although their form looked to have taken a positive turn, a dip again ahead of the international break saw Pompey lose their last two games.

Now they sit 16th in the Championship table but just four points clear of the drop zone, meaning the final run-in of the season is set to be a nervy one for those at Fratton Park.

Mousinho has decisions to make

There may be more pressing matters on the South Coast, but on Monday (31 March), academy players are set to find out their fate on whether they have a future with Portsmouth, according to The News.

Last summer, the club released all 10 of their academy graduates, showing that the standard is high to be rewarded with a contract.

However, Mousinho has been adamant that there is a pathway to first-team involvement from the academy for anyone who proves they are good enough to be involved.

One man who has been a bright spark from below this season is Harry Clout, who made his senior Pompey debut in an FA Cup tie against Wycombe.

Clout has shown signs of being a bright spark and has had the chance to train with Mousinho and the first team on occasions, meaning he has shown the manager what he can do.

There have been concerns voiced by supporters over the lack of home-grown talent, and therefore, signing Clout is a risk worth taking at Fratton Park in the hope that he can continue to prove himself higher up the chain.

Portsmouth have to secure Championship survival

Once these decisions are out of the way, Mousinho must turn his full attention back to the Championship in the hope of saving his side from the drop this season.

It looks set to be a tight race at the bottom of the league and could well be a race that goes right until the final game, with so many teams at risk of relegation.

Portsmouth have not had the easiest of rides to get to the position they find themselves in, especially compared to other clubs around them in the table, but they have to fight for their position for long-term success.

Having beaten top-of-the-table Leeds United before the break, Mousinho’s men showed that they can deliver the standards required not just to survive but actually progress in the second tier.

However, it is now about finding this form consistently in the final period of the season, and if survival is secured, then Portsmouth can start to plan for a more successful season next year.