John Mousinho has unceremoniously stated what he expects from his Pompey players this season.
The Blues’ head coach has also revealed exactly how he wants his players to approach the upcoming Championship season, as the Fratton Park club prepares to resume historic clashes with Leeds United, Sheffield United, and Sunderland – fixtures that have been scarce in recent years. And there’s a clear message for Pompey’s current first-team squad as they prepare to enter the Championship battlefield. First and foremost, they do all in their power to win, both on match days and away from Fratton Park. Second, they embrace rather than avoid the task that lies ahead. Finally, if they sneak away, Be prepared to be found out quickly! Mousinho addressed a frank call to arms to the Blues’ players as they returned to pre-season on Monday. Furthermore, it was created while the Pompey media team was filming for their upcoming digital platform. The presence of the cameras, however, did not deter Pompey’s League One title-winning manager from laying it all on the line as he purposefully stated his aims for the next season. While some parts of his speech had to be bleeped out for broadcast, the message was obvious.
Watch the complete John Mousinho video HERE.
Here’s what the manager said as he urged the players to be ready to wear the shirt as the Blues return to the second division of English football for the first time in 12 years.
Speaking to the players in their impressive new surroundings at the refurbished Pompey Health and Fitness Club in Hilsea, Mousinho said: ‘The one non-negotiable we have as a staff is that when you walk off the pitch at 5pm on a Saturday or 10pm on a Tuesday, you’ve done everything in your power to win that game.
And I’m not just talking about what you do during the 90-minute game. I’m talking about that, but I’m also talking about everything else, including how you live, sleep, and train. Everything you do must be focused on winning games and achieving peak performance.
‘We have control here, and we will support you as much as we can. So we’ll aim to create an environment in which you can perform, win, and achieve your full potential while you’re here.
“What you do away from here is up to you – how you spend your lives, whether you go onto Huddle to watch the set-pieces, whether you bother going to the gym. In the evenings. All of that is up to you. We can’t and won’t control that.But it always gets out, so you can’t hide anything, including this league. You can’t hide from this league.’You can approach it in two different ways. You can look at that (referring to the team badges of this season’s Championship opponents) and think, “Wow, what a tough league.” Or, as I believe we will view it, “what an opportunity that is to go to attack and get on the front foot”.
You can only achieve that if you do what I told you at the beginning: do everything you can so that by the time we go to Elland Road for the first game of the season, you’ll be primed and ready, and you’ll walk off the pitch knowing you’ve done everything you possibly could.
‘The result will take care of itself; I’ve done everything I can to optimize that performance.’ Pompey’s first game of the season will be against Leeds United at Elland Road on Saturday, August 10 (12.30pm kick-off).
@NotMiltos commented on X, formerly Twitter, after viewing the recently published footage: ‘Tears in my eyes, we’re genuinely moving so forward as a football team. Fratton Park Redevelopment, New Training Ground, gym, transfers, player contracts, Rich Hughes, John Mousinho, everything is in sync, and the future couldn’t be brighter for us.’ @jkanalysis7 commented: ‘I enjoy listening to managers speak in pre-season about the club’s ambitions and mindset. Last season was simply a taste of what to expect from John Mousinho; this season, I believe he will express himself much more. Top, youthful coach!
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