New Portsmouth season yet time running out for Fratton Park's forgotten man
The former Australian Under-23 international has made three appearances in two years at Fratton Park
There have been too many false starts, aborted attempts and injury breakdowns for the Fratton faithful to accurately judge Jacob Farrell’s worth.
Now approaching two years since the Australian arrived on the south-coast to rival Connor Ogilvie for a first-team spot, the jury have long been discharged.
A new season brings with it fresh opportunities, yet it is likely to be too late for the 23-year-old to wrestle back the direction of a fading Pompey future.
Last summer Farrell returned ahead of the 2025-26 campaign having noticeably bulked up following a summer back Down Under rehabbing with the Australian FA, having identified the left-back as a player with potential.
Barely a month into the Championship season and a groin issue swiftly returned him to the sidelines following an underwhelming performance in a Carabao Cup defeat to Reading.
Seven more minutes of action in 2025-26
That August outing against the League One outfit marked a second competitive appearance during his opening 13 months as a Pompey player, having joined from A-Leaguers Central Coast Mariners.
Farrell would subsequently feature for just seven more minutes in Blues colours during the remainder of last season.
In mitigation, he was loaned to Western Sydney Wanderers from February, where he enjoyed regular first-team football, primarily at centre-back, and, by all accounts, impressed.
Then a recurrence of Farrell’s groin injury ruled him out of the final four A-League matches as rapidly-building optimism was shattered.
Having signed in July 2024, hastening the exit of Jack Sparkes, the highly-regarded Australia under-23 international was supposed to battle it out with Connor Ogilvie for the left-back role.
To date, he has made just three appearances and been included in seven Pompey first-team squads as they continue to compete in the Championship.
Left-back rival Ogilvie flourishing
Incidentally, during that time, Ogilvie's reputation has flourished, establishing himself as a Championship-calibre performer and last week signed a new two-year deal at the age of 30 - while Farrell has drifted even further behind.
With Ogilvie committing his future to Fratton Park and thereby likely to retain his first-team spot, the Blues are now seeking to reinforce that full-back area in Mousinho’s squad.
In Farrell’s case, it would also represent a replacement for himself, having physically been unable to provide a consistent challenge since his July 2014 arrival ahead of the Blues’ return to the Championship.
The mood among the Fratton Park hierarchy is that, after two years of disappointment, it is time to move on from the Australian, despite having another two years remaining on his contract.
Pompey’s players returned for pre-season on Thursday, with Farrell pictured by the club working on pitches at their Copnor Road training ground.
At present, the Australian and Ogilvie are the only conventional left-backs in the playing squad, although Zak Swanson superbly deputised in the role last season, with his outstanding performances earning himself a new two-year deal.
Time has run out
Regardless, time appears to have almost run out for Farrell, who, by all accounts, isn’t short of suitors who recognise an immense potential which sadly has remained untapped during his time at Fratton Park.
With bodies needing to be moved on to create space in their Football League 25-man squad to accommodate transfer strengthening, the 23-year-old represents an obvious solution.
The likelihood is there won’t be yet another fresh start for the luckless Jacob Farrell this season - and if there is, it won’t happen at Pompey.