Adrian Segecic likened to Man City legend after what happened on Portsmouth debut
Adrian Segecic scored on his league debut as Portsmouth won 1-0 away at Oxford United on Saturday.
Segecic opened the scoring after 38 minutes at the Kassam Stadium, following up after Colby Bishop’s shot was saved by Oxford goalkeeper Jamie Cumming.
He had few chances to double the lead, but he’ll still be thrilled with his performance, especially given the result.
Segecic had looked sharp in Portsmouth’s pre-season friendlies, and Pompey fans will be even more excited about his signing following this goal.
Segecic compared to Man City great Bernardo Silva
Segecic was the top goalscorer in the Australian A-League, scoring 18 goals for Sydney FC.
There have been questions about whether that could translate to goals in the Championship, but things are looking bright so far.
Former Pompey winger Glen Little appears to be impressed with the signing.
Commentating on the game for BBC Radio Solent, he dared to compare Segecic to some of the Premier League’s best playmakers.
He said: “He’s small, wearing number 10, there are a number of players he reminds me of. How about Bernardo Silva? If he’s half as good as him, he’ll be happy. Also, Emre, who I played against, a very jinky and trippy type of player.”
Segecic has already been nicknamed ‘The Australian Messi’ by some Portsmouth fans.
Segecic will keep his feet on ground after dream debut for Portsmouth
Segecic is only 21 years old, but he doesn’t seem like the type to get carried away with one great performance on his debut.
The Australian has looked at home in this Portsmouth side ever since scoring in his first pre-season game against Woking.
Against Oxford, he was:
- Brave on the ball
- Happy to track back
- Clinical in the pivotal moment of the match
When asked after the game if he was nervous about his debut, he admitted that he always tends to be relaxed on game days.
Segecic regularly speaks with Mark Robertson, father of former Portsmouth loanee Alex, who works as a mentor to Australian players who move to Europe.
And in John Mousinho, he has a manager who is quickly building a reputation for signing and developing exciting young players.
Segecic won’t be too bothered about comparisons to Bernardo Silva, Emre or anyone else.
He has the people around him to ensure he keeps his feet on the ground.
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