The Portsmouth perspective on Blackpool's new man

Blackpool Gazette

Blackpool have signed former Portsmouth winger Sammy Silvera on loan from Middlesbrough for the remainder of the season.   Following the early end to his stint at Fratton Park, The News' Pompey reporter Neil Allen shares his thoughts on the Australian international.

Transcript

00:00So, of course, you've seen a lot of Blackpool's new signing in the last few months. Tell us

00:05what he's like and why things haven't worked out at Portsmouth for him.

00:09Basically, he's a really nice lad, very bubbly around the place, always smiling, good around

00:15the squad. And he's had a tough time at Pompey, but it's never got him down particularly,

00:20he's just carried on. And it hasn't worked out. And it's a shame because a year earlier,

00:26Pompey had looked at signing him from Australia and Middlesbrough beat them to him. And when

00:34Middlesbrough, last year he played in the Championship, played 37 games in the Championship,

00:39started 12 games, I think he scored seven goals as well. So it was a decent first season

00:43in the Championship and Middlesbrough offered them to Pompey because they knew the background

00:48and what they looked at him before. So Pompey said, yes, great, we'll bring him on board.

00:54And it just hasn't worked out. I think he's started one game since September, in and out

01:01with a couple of injuries, sometimes he's dropped from the squad completely. And it's

01:06been a huge, huge disappointment, unfortunately.

01:08Obviously, he seems like a player with a lot of skill, a lot of pace can run down the wings.

01:13Is it his final product that has been the issue for him?

01:17Yeah, probably that probably had the spell of trying him as a number 10. And during three

01:24seasons while they tried that, they play him on the left as well. He's definitely got pace.

01:29There's something about him, he's definitely got ability. There's a, there's another Pompey

01:34player that's left in the last few weeks, in the last week or so, called Elias Sorensen,

01:38he came from Denmark and he's five months later, he's gone. And he was dreadful, absolutely

01:43shocking, apart from scoring on the opening day of the season, at least. But Silverio

01:48has something about him, there's ability there without any question. He's skillful, he's

01:54lively, he's quick, good technique. There's something there, but they haven't got it out

02:02of him. There's been no consistency, final ball is always an issue, but it just hasn't

02:07sparkled in the games he's been used and quite quickly it disappeared from the, if the first

02:13team set up really, went on the bench and then out of nowhere had his first game for

02:18months at Bristol City. And he got an adverse reception from the fans, which was very harsh.

02:23And subsequently he's never played again and was returned to Middlesbrough.

02:27Yeah, how tough was that watching on, obviously getting chants from the fans against you,

02:32how tough would that have been for him?

02:35Oh yeah, awful. There's a group of fans chanting, send him back, send him back and booed him

02:41when he came off. And it must be pointed out, it was a minority, a very small minority

02:46of fans. The vast, vast majority of Pompey fans afterwards condemned what was said to

02:53the player. Pompey fans like to think of themselves as being very supportive of their players,

02:57backing them to the hilt. And there were really, a lot were really annoyed and upset that he

03:03received that reaction because it's not what Pompey fans usually do. So there was a bit

03:09of a backlash against those who did it, which was good to see really. And the manager came

03:14out and also said he was disappointed in the fans doing that. But it was very much a minority.

03:20And yeah, it was very uncomfortable because he was trying his best. It wasn't going for

03:24him. It started after an awful cross on the left, I think, do you remember, which went

03:28out for a throw in. So he wasn't going his way. But it was his first start for a few

03:33months. He was obviously rusty, but he was the one who was picked on and it clearly hasn't,

03:39he hasn't performed for Pompey. But it was very uncomfortable hearing that reaction to

03:44him during a game.

03:46Just finally, obviously short snippets on what he can do at Middlesbrough in the Championship.

03:50But could dropping down to League One for a few months during the World of Go do you

03:53think the ability he's got?

03:55Yeah, he just needs game, doesn't he? He needs to build his confidence. He wasn't at it for

04:02the Championship level for Pompey this season. But he's impressed Middlesbrough fans by all

04:06accounts when it emerged that he would be going back to Middlesbrough, probably a few

04:10weeks ago it came out, their fans were perfectly prepared to welcome him back. They still respect

04:15him. So he has done well in the Championship. You'd imagine now this is a chance for him

04:21to rebuild, reboot, get his confidence up and try to impress at League One level. It's

04:26a great opportunity for him. Presumably he'll be regularly involved. So he'll be giving

04:31the stage to shine. So good luck to the lad. It just didn't work out at Pompey. And that's

04:35what happens in football, isn't it? Not every transfer works out. Pompey had high hopes.

04:42They're absolutely delighted to get him on board. And as a result, he's gone back and

04:47they're still looking to strengthen that position he should have held. So, yeah, it's not worth

04:51for anyone. That happens. Move on. But very best of luck to the lad.

Category

Transcript

Recommended