‘He Needs to…’ – Portsmouth Manager Sends a ‘Shocking’ Message to Top Rising Star…
John Mousinho acknowledges he has repeatedly emphasized it – now Gavin Whyte must finally make an impact for Portsmouth. The Blues’ head coach believes there’s still ample time for the winger to secure a spot in his Championship team.
Whyte rejoined full training last week after being hampered by injuries early in pre-season, missing the first three friendlies. The Northern Ireland international needed a strong start this summer following a disappointing first season at Fratton Park, despite being a title-winner.
His challenging stint on the south coast continues, but Mousinho remains hopeful. He told The News: “Gavin has had a couple of injuries, but it was more personal issues last year that made his time at Pompey inconsistent.
“I’ve talked a lot about Gavin’s potential, and he needs to reset and push forward this season. We still have plenty of time. I spoke to Gavin on Friday, and the challenge is for him to get back into the rhythm, improve his fitness, and ensure he’s involved in the upcoming friendlies.
“This applies to all players, especially those like Anthony (Scully) and Gavin. They need game time and to be evaluated based on their performance during matches. He still has time. We want players to impress in training, but they also have pre-season games to make their mark.
“There’s plenty of time for things to change before the first game of the season. Even after the season starts, there’s time for changes.”
Whyte scored once in 33 appearances for Pompey last season but started only four League One games after mid-September. As the Championship campaign approaches, he is already behind Paddy Lane and new signings Josh Murphy and Sammy Silvera.
Mousinho added: “Gavin started the first eight league games last season when we had a good start. We were top when he left the side after Barnsley. He probably didn’t have as many goals and assists as he wanted, though he did assist against Leyton Orient.
“Besides that, he played decent football, but after leaving the side, he couldn’t regain his momentum. He showed some promising moments towards the end of the season, and his performance against Peterborough stands out.”