Due to work and family commitments this week I’ve not really had much time, so been very limited on my involvement. Heading away for a few days next week too, so it’ll be the same.
So, as the title said, what’s been going on anyway?
A few days back Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho basically said what we all know, Pompey are better than ManU… Ok, he didn’t say that exactly, he actually said the atmosphere was better at Fratton Park than it was at Old Trafford.
Quoted by Sky Sports, Mourinho said: ‘It’s not Portsmouth. I remember Portsmouth – such a small stadium, the atmosphere was absolutely incredible. In here, the atmosphere is a bit quiet and there is not very (much enthusiasm). But the players like to play at home.’
Thanks Jose. Well, if nothing else it got the name of PFC out in the public domain to a larger audience again; reminding people we’re still about and our famous atmosphere is recalled.
Having been forced off on his second debut, in the draw against Doncaster last weekend, Stephen Henderson was ‘set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.’
If Henderson, 29, is to have a future at Fratton we now know he’ll almost certainly have to return from Nottingham Forest in the summer as his season is over…
‘The estimation is he’ll be out for the season with his quad,’ Kenny Jackett told BBC Radio Solent.
However, Jack Whatmough’s might not be? After five months of recovery from another knee injury the Gosport-born defender made his return in the Premier League Cup against Leicester this week.
Whatmough was given a 45 minutes outing in the 1-1 draw and is now hopeful of making his first team return before the campaign is out, but knows this is down to Jackett.
He told the News: ‘I’m not too sure what happens next about friendlies, that’s the manager’s choice. If there are more reserve games I really want to play in them. It’s down to the physios now but they have given me the all-clear to just crack on. I hope I can play for the first team again this season. That is my target now, to get a game back there, so we will take it from here.’
Another who featured in that game against Ipswich on Tuesday was veteran midfielder Jonathan Douglas, turning out as a trialist having been without a club since leaving Championship side Ipswich last summer.
Despite a wealth of experience Douglas, 36, isn’t coming to Fratton to add extra depth to Jackett’s options in the middle of the park. Much the same as his trial at League Two club Luton previously, this has failed to earn a deal.
Jackett told the News: ‘Jonathan did a few days for us and it’s not one we are going to pursue. We were pleased to look at him and we are looking in that midfield area, but I didn’t think he necessarily complemented what we already had. We are always looking at free agents and will continue to do that.’
No harm in looking at Douglas was there, experience wise we couldn’t have asked for more. In fairness, from what I can recall, he was a decent footballer too, but having failed to find a club since last summer perhaps it wasn’t a bad call opting against anything when it came to this free agent at least.
Well, that is a quick-ish bite size round up of what has been going on this week, in a nutshell.
PLAY UP POMPEY
Follow @VitalPortsmouth.
2017-18 Prediction League – February
MK Dons (a) Saturday 10th February 2018 – click here.
Blackburn (h) Tuesday 13th February 2018 – click here.
Southend (a) Saturday 17th February 2018 – click here.
Fleetwood (a) Tuesday 20th February 2018 – click here.
Blackpool (h) Saturday 24th February 2018 – click here.
