Portsmouth boss delivers promising statement over Kamara involvement ahead of Blackburn Rovers
John Mousinho believes Abdoulaye Kamara is not far from Pompey first-team minutes as his wait for action continues.
But the Blues boss acknowledged how the forceful midfielder has been a victim of his team switching up their approach, as they adapt to the Championship terrain.
And Mousinho feels it’s crucial Kamara can take on the required midfield demands against the ball, before he can be handed significant playing time this term.
The 20-year-old has not seen a minute’s action in the past seven games, as he remains an unused sub for the side he joined from Borussia Dortmund this summer.
That was a frustration for some supporters, after watching Kamara give a man-of-the-match cameo against Sunderland at the end of August.
Owen Moxon now seems to have leapt above the Guinean in the midfield pecking order, after coming off the bench in the past three games.
Mousinho can see the attributes Kamara offers are the kind to excite, but with Pompey employing a more direct and high-pressing approach of late there is work to be done to understand what’s required.
Despite that, the Pompey boss made it clear the former Paris St Germain youngster is not a million miles away from being involved.
Mousinho said: ‘Abdou’s got to keep working hard and adapting to the level over here.
‘He’s maybe been a victim and hurt by a slight change in approach to our games and the fact we’ve been less focussed on possession and a bit more direct.
‘A lot of our good play has been based around how we press and our out-of-possession work.
‘I think Abdou in the glimpses we’ve seen of him is a really strong player in possession, but can tidy up a little bit in terms of his final product
‘We’re also still working with him, day in and day out on that discipline off the ball, his out-of-possession shape and making sure he’s right at it.
‘That’s maybe something with Mox (Moxon) being in the building and being from this country is something that comes quite naturally to him. With Abs we’re still working on that.
‘We’re still pushing him though and he’s still close. He’s much closer than he would imagine and everyone on the outside would imagine, because he’s not played many minutes over the last eight games.’