John Mousinho ‘deserves massive praise’ after Portsmouth financial revelation
John Mousinho has done a brilliant job at Portsmouth, which is further highlighted by the finances he’s had to work with in the Championship.
Pompey are aiming for Championship survival as they sit 19th in the table after 42 games, with a four-point gap over 22nd-place Cardiff City.
The Hampshire outfit drew 2-2 against Derby County at Fratton Park on Saturday (12 April), and nerves will be at an all-time high going into the final stretch of the campaign.
If Mousinho’s team do survive the drop, the English manager deserves all the praise for a tremendous job.
Portsmouth push for Championship survival
Pompey have everything in their hands as they look to survive relegation to League One just one year after promotion.
The Hampshire outfit looked destined to go down immediately after a poor start to the season, but they found their rhythm midway through the campaign.
Mousinho has managed to bring the best out of his squad after buying several reinforcements in the winter transfer window.
Bristol City loanee Rob Atkinson’s impact at Fratton Park has been evident, with the centre-back scoring a brace against the Rams.
| Championship table (2024/25) | Matches played | Points |
| 19. Portsmouth | 42 | 46 |
| 20. Hull | 42 | 45 |
| 21. Derby | 42 | 43 |
| 22. Cardiff | 42 | 42 |
| 23. Luton | 42 | 40 |
| 24. Plymouth | 42 | 40 |
Pompey lowest spenders on agent fees in Championship
Atkinson’s permanent transfer to Pompey feels like a no-brainer after his immediate impact since joining on loan in the winter transfer window.
While the Hampshire outfit’s finances aren’t as strong as the other team in the second division of English football, the 26-year-old centre-back is someone they should pursue.
If Mousinho’s team end up staying in the Championship, they’ll arguably have a better chance of attracting players to Fratton Park.
Portsmouth’s achievements will arguably hold more weight for the English manager if they survive relegation, as their spending on agent fees in the Championship was the lowest between 2 February 2024 and 3 February 2025.
Leeds spending on agents higher than a number of clubs total playing budgets for the season
— Andrew Moon (@mrandrewmoon) April 14, 2025
Championship finances are completely broken https://t.co/YVH3Cd2H4q
Andrew Moon was baffled by the disparity with Leeds United regarding agent fees on X (14 April), writing: “Leeds’ spending on agents is higher than a number of clubs total playing budgets for the season. Championship finances are completely broken.”
It shows the odds Mousinho has had to deal with to compete with the top teams.
The English manager is squeezing every ounce of talent from his squad, and that’s highlighted by how much money they’ve spent compared to their rivals.
Michael Eisner must back the 38-year-old head coach next summer, regardless of whether Pompey are in the Championship or League One.
Mousinho has shown he’s the right man to take the Hampshire outfit forward, even if they get relegated at the end of the season.