Portsmouth react to Nicolas Schmid announcement
Portsmouth goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid enjoyed a successful debut season at Fratton Park after signing from BW Linz.
Pompey manager John Mousinho handed the Austrian shot-stopper his debut against Oxford United in a 1-1 draw back in October.
Schmid took his chance and ran with it, establishing himself as the first-choice keeper for the rest of the season, displacing Will Norris in the process.
Schmid would go on to feature 35 times for Pompey, as the south coast club retained their Championship status in their first season back in the division.
Portsmouth react to Schmid’s first international call-up
Schmid’s performances have not just caught the eye of those at Fratton Park, with the goalkeeper earning a spot in Austria’s World Cup qualifying squad.
Former Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick has called up the 28-year-old for the first time in his career ahead of Austria’s match against Romania in June.
It’s easy to see why, with Schmid being a key reason Mousinho’s side overcame their dreadful start to the season to avoid the drop.
| Championship 2024/25 | Nicolas Schmid |
| Appearences | 35 |
| Saves made | 105 |
| Saves per game | 3.0 |
| Assists | 2 |
Portsmouth reacted to the news by sharing a post on their official X account on 26 May.
They wrote: “A first international call-up for our GK.
“Congratulations, Nico.”
Schmid is evidence of Pompey’s new transfer strategy working
Portsmouth’s chief executive, Andy Cullen, recently revealed that the club are emphasising signing players from abroad this summer.
Despite some supporters being nervous about this news, Schmid is an example of this strategy paying off.
Having only cost the club a rumoured £332,000, you would anticipate that the towering goalkeeper would be worth a lot more than that in the current market.
Portsmouth have one of the lowest budgets in the Championship, meaning this strategy of recruiting from overseas is a necessary risk they may have to take in order to compete.
It is unlikely that every signing Pompey make in the summer will replicate the success that Schmid has had, but that will be prepared for.
However, if the Blues want to stay up again, they will have to be smarter in the market than their direct rivals, especially with the money-rich Birmingham and Wrexham coming up.
To counteract this, Portsmouth need to continue to find cost-effective players that can thrive at Championship level, using Schmid as the perfect case study.