O’Neil ‘in line for Fratton Park return next season’ after confirmed sack news
Portsmouth and John Mousinho could be facing a difficult task ahead of them next season.
The South Coast outfit produced an impressive run of form in the second half of the season that ultimately saw them secure their Championship status with two games to spare.
However, things are set to grow even harder for them next time around, as the second-tier grows stronger yet again.
None of the three newly-promoted sides will be expected to go down, which could have the alarm bells ringing somewhat due to Portsmouth’s budget constraints.
They will also welcome three more huge clubs back to Fratton Park with Leicester City, Ipswich Town and their bitter rivals Southampton returning to the division after a year in the big time.
Gary O’Neil could be in line for Leicester job
Mousinho has already secured the signing of Adrian Segecic, and he will need to secure plenty more new additions ahead of next season if his side are to improve on their showing last time out.
The Championship looks to be a wide-open league once again, and one of the sides that will have designs on competing in its upper echelons are Leicester.
The Foxes finally decided to sack Ruud Van Nistelrooy on Friday (27 June), and now it seems that former Pompey hero Gary O’Neil could be in line to step into the dugout at the King Power Stadium.
The former midfielder came through the youth ranks at Fratton Park and went on to make over 160 appearances across a seven-year spell at the start of his playing career.
And he could be back at his old stomping ground next season, as he has emerged as the fourth favourite for the Foxes job at 10/1, according to talkSPORT Bet (27 June).
Michael Carrick (4/1), Danny Rohl (7/4) and Sean Dyche (4/7) are the only three names ahead of O’Neil in the running to become the next Leicester manager.
Mousinho is Pompey’s ace in the pack
Mousinho had been touted as a potential candidate for jobs elsewhere in the Championship a few weeks ago, but Portsmouth must be delighted that his future is seemingly now settled.
The 39-year-old has rightly received plenty of plaudits for the job he has done, having won the League One title in his first season as a manager, before overseeing the impressive survival effort last term.
There can be no doubt about the fact that Mousinho is very much the ace in Pompey’s pack. He is rapidly gaining a reputation as an exciting and tactically astute young coach, and while he remains on the south coast, he will likely be the key to Portsmouth’s fortunes.
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