Pompey boss John Mousinho's Barnsley preview

The News, Portsmouth

Pompey boss John Mousinho previews the visit from Barnsley, with his side looking for promotion from League One and two points to win the title.

Transcript

00:00John, first of all, many congratulations on being the EFL Manager of the Year for League

00:05One and also three of your players were in the Team of the Year as well.

00:09Yeah, I mean, it feels great to be able to have that recognition, I think particularly

00:15to the players, I think they thoroughly deserve it. Those three have been outstanding all

00:18season. I think we could have had a couple more players in the side, considering how

00:21well some of the lads have performed this year, but there were some fantastic players

00:24in League One, so really, really proud of the boys. I think it's a massive achievement

00:27for them to be able to do that, and that was a big part of making sure that we did

00:31go down to London last night just to pick up the rewards. I think it's a rare thing

00:37for players to be able to achieve in their careers, so the lads have done it, they thoroughly

00:41deserve it, they're all really, really professional in terms of the way they're going to go about

00:44their business. Yeah, I think if we manage to get the job done tomorrow night, then everything

00:49that we've been recognised for over the weekend is going to feel even sweeter.

00:52As a player, did you ever get in those divisional teams at all?

00:55No, I didn't, and that was a big part of why I thought it was important for the players

00:59to go down and pick that reward up, because you can go through a whole career and never

01:05receive anything like that, so it is special. I think people have clearly recognised what

01:08the lads have done and what the lads are trying to achieve this year. Those three have been

01:12absolutely outstanding, and they should enjoy it.

01:15What was the evening like?

01:16It was good. It was a bit of a strange one, because we had one eye on Barnsley and we

01:20wanted to make sure that we did everything right logistically, but it was a fantastic

01:24evening. They always have great occasions down at the Grosvenor. The EFL put on really

01:28good awards, and I think the lads enjoyed it. I think all of the staff connected to

01:34Portsmouth that went down enjoyed it as well, so it was a really good occasion.

01:38Late one or not?

01:39Not too late. We got off as soon as the awards were done, so we had a bit of press to do

01:44after the back end of the awards, but I think if you looked at the itinerary, there was

01:48half the party on there, which we dodged, which was obviously always in the plan, just

01:53making sure that we were as professional as possible. The lads were brilliant, and

01:57they came on, they obviously collected their awards, they were brilliant all night, and

02:02it was just for them, all about making sure that we got back, got themselves in the bed.

02:08We reported a bit later today, so they've got a bit more sleep, and then we're going

02:11to be fine on Medgar for tonight.

02:13Of course, we're doing this early press at nine o'clock this morning. What time are

02:16the players due in then?

02:17The players will be in at midday, so just give them a bit of extra time, especially

02:20after the Bolton game as well, so not for those three. With the travel back after the

02:23Bolton game, hopefully they've done all their recovery. I know they would have done all

02:26their recovery yesterday, and we'll be back in today ready and ready to go.

02:30Which brings us nicely into the Barnsley game. What would you make of Barnsley at the moment?

02:34So, Barnsley have been the side that have competed in the top six all year, and to be

02:38honest, I think up until last week, they've dropped out of challenging us for an automatic

02:42promotion spot, so they've been right up there in terms of consistent sides that have performed

02:46really well. They're a massive danger as a goal threat with individuals they've got,

02:51but also collectively, having put quite a few goals past quite a few sides this season,

02:55so we know that they are a real threat. I think coming off the back of a player final

02:59defeat last year, losing the players that they lost to regroup to go with a new head

03:03coach and to do as well as they've done, I think it's a remarkable achievement, and we

03:05know that they are a good side and they're a tough, tough side to play. We found that

03:10out, especially at their place in the second half, where it was a really difficult occasion

03:13for us, but we are looking forward to having them down at Fratton Park, but we know we've

03:17got a job on our hands.

03:19Probably up until the point where they drew 2-1 against Bolton, they were the form side

03:23and they were a huge threat coming up fast on the outside, weren't they?

03:26Yeah, and they started the season really well, maybe dropped off slightly, but then picked

03:30up form incredibly well, and it was no surprise to us, considering how much time we've watched

03:36them, what we know about their side, what we know about Neil and how well he's done

03:40as a head coach in his first job in this country, and just everything we said there

03:44about the attacking threat they've got on the pitch, so we have to be very, very wary

03:48of them. They're still fighting for points and fighting for a player position at the

03:52moment, and we have to make sure that we're fully on top of ourselves going into Tuesday.

03:57As everyone knows, Tuesday night under the Fratton Park lights, or there's not even any

04:02proper floodlights anymore, but under the lights anyway at Fratton Park, there are special

04:05occasions, and that promises to be the same, doesn't it, for this one?

04:09Yeah, I think so. Honestly, if you'd have asked me after the Derby game if the atmosphere

04:13could get any better than that, I would have said absolutely not, but going into tomorrow

04:17night, I've got a feeling it will be. From the start of the game, I remember at Derby,

04:21the noise was just incredible from all four sides, so yeah, expect a bit more of that

04:25tomorrow night. It's quite exciting thinking about it. We've got to make sure we get the

04:28right balance between not getting too carried away, I'd only spoken about that all season,

04:32but also if you have that opportunity to play in front of your home fans and possibly get

04:37promoted and win the title in front of your home fans, I think that's a massive incentive

04:40for everybody connected to the football club, so I'm really looking forward to it.

04:44And of course, Pompey Women win promotion and win the title yesterday as well.

04:47Yeah, I mean, fantastic achievement, and that was one that hopefully everybody connected

04:53to the women's side and actually connected to the football club really savours. It happened

04:57under different circumstances, but I'm sure that there's plenty of time, or there will

05:01be plenty of time for the dust to settle and for everybody to realise what a fantastic

05:04achievement it is and how well the women's side have done this year. James has been absolutely

05:09fantastic. Anytime I've seen the women play, we've absolutely blown sides away, and it's

05:14nothing less than everybody connected to the women's side deserve. There are some people

05:18that have been working hard for a number of years to try and achieve what the club are

05:22trying to achieve, so hopefully everything goes well with the promotion and all the I's

05:27are dotted and the T's are crossed, I think, by the time we start the season next year,

05:31but it's fantastic. I think it's a really, really good start to the week, and yeah, congratulations

05:35to everyone connected to the football club.

05:37I appreciate the players aren't in yet, but what's the situation regarding injuries?

05:40I mean, unless Steve tells me anything otherwise, which we've been in communication all weekend

05:45checking on it, we've got no new injuries, so we've got a squad of 24 fit pros to select

05:49from for Tuesday night, and I think that's a bit of a headache for myself and the staff

05:54picking a squad, let alone a team. I think that's a fantastic position for us to be in,

05:58considering how many injuries we've had this year, so we've got quite a few back, quite

06:02a few rounds to go, and I think we've got some really difficult decisions to make every

06:06Tuesday.

06:07And Tom Lowry's available again?

06:08Yeah, Tom's available.

06:10Thank you very much.

06:11Perfect.

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