'The first name on my bench': Portsmouth boss on the unsung hero proving priceless

He’s the first name on Pompey’s substitutes’ bench, according to John Mousinho.

And while Terry Devlin may not necessarily agree, the Irishman’s versatility continues to remain priceless to the Blues’ head coach.

The 21-year-old has been employed in a variety of roles since his June 2023 arrival, including right-back, central midfielder, as a number 10 and on the right wing.

Indeed, Devlin’s only start of the season was wide on the right against Reading in the Carabao Cup, while his last outing was also there, as a substitute in the St Mary’s draw.

Nonetheless, Mousinho continues to regard right-back as the Northern Ireland international’s most effective position, although he has barely featured there of late.

Portsmouth boss: That versatility is a massive strength for a coach

He told The News: ‘If you look at Terry with us, it’s at right-back where he has consistently performed at his best.

‘As a 10 he has a lot to offer as well. Although possibly in this system at the minute we are looking at playing Conor Chaplin and Segs there, with Callum Lang to come back from injury. Swifty can play as a 10 as well.

‘We played him on the right wing against Reading and recently Southampton, but I don’t think that’s his position.

‘He’s not going to start on the right - and that is one of the beauties of Terry Devlin. I know he wants to be the first name on the team-sheet at the minute, but he’s probably the first name on the team-sheet on the bench because of his versatility and how good he is.

‘That versatility is a massive strength for a coach. Sometimes for a player that can work against you, although I don’t think it’s working against Terry at this point.

‘Look at his career and how well he has done, coming over from Northern Ireland and already having an impact in that League One title season. He’s now got 38 Championship appearances under his belt.

‘I reckon if you’d have asked him that a couple of years ago, he would have laughed in your face.

‘Right-back is probably his best position and I know he has a lot of competition there, but he needs to keep on improving and keep working on forcing his way into the side.’

Contracted until the summer of 2028

Such is Devlin’s importance, he was handed a new deal in February, tying him to Fratton Park until the summer of 2028.

He was unused off the bench in the dismal defeat to Sheffield Wednesday, although he was introduced in the south-coast derby the previous match.

Entering for the flagging Adrian Segecic in the 76th minute, he was handed a role on the right wing and asked to add energy and mobility to the Blues’ play.

The St Mary’s match ultimately finished goalless and Mousinho is adamant his team benefits so many different ways when the former Glentoran man is called upon as a substitute.

Portsmouth boss: We are a more aggressive side when we bring Terry on

He added: ‘As the Southampton game wore on, we thought we had lost a bit of energy going forward. We had asked for a huge amount and Segs was on course to set all sorts of personal best in terms of physical output had he stayed on for the 90 minutes. So we were really wary of that.

‘We wanted that protection down the right-hand side, somebody to give us that physicality as well. When we bring Terry on, we’re a side which is bigger, we are more aggressive, we are a bit more dominant from set-pieces.

‘We knew towards the back end of the game that it was going to be that sort of match and we made the decision that a point was a good point with how the second half was going, so let’s be nice and solid and bring Terry on there.’

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