'I like that' - Portsmouth boss John Mousinho backed following 'furious' criticism of players in wake of Blackburn Rovers draw
Sky Sports pundit leaps to Pompey boss’ defence after ‘furious’ rant about players
John Mousinho was right to call out his players after witnessing them throw away their lead against relegation rivals Blackburn Rovers during injury time at Ewood Park.
That’s the verdict of former Hull and West Brom defender Curtis Davies, who believes the Pompey boss did nothing wrong in questioning his troops’ character and mentality following the final whistle in Lancashire.
Mousinho tore into his players during his post-match interviews after Hayden Carter was gifted the opportunity to level the score on 93 minutes, after Connor Ogilvie’s 84th-minute opener for the visitors.
That late leveller saw the Blues’ then live seven-point advantage over those teams stuck in the relegation zone cut to five with 10 games of the season remaining.
In his interview with Sky Sports. Mousinho said he was furious with the way his side approached the game following Ogilvie’s deflected strike. He also questioned his side’s mentality yet again as they continue to shoot themselves in the foot in their battle to avoid the drop back to League One.
His ruthless assessment was then followed by a discussion in the Sky Sports studio, that included former Pompey skipper Michael Brown and Davies.
Brown questioned whether Mousinho did the right thing in publicly criticising his players. However, former Derby centre-back Davies saw no harm in the Blues boss’ post-match approach.
What was said in the Sky Sports studio
Davies told those tuned in to Sky Sports: ‘I think it’s the state of the game really.
‘We all saw a game that was bad and I think Don (Goodman, co-commentator) said it best - nobody sdeserved to win there.
‘But the fact that they’ve got the lead in the 83rd minute, Blackburn offered nothing since the xxxx chance, so therefore you’re just thinking, see the game out, keep it as it is.
‘But, again, people not doing their jobs, not doing things right, that feeling that we’ve got to hold onto it (the lead), which they do, but it allows that little opening and they concede the goal.
‘But I like that from John, because we usually see John after a game, he’s usually backing his team and, maybe he might say something different in the changing room, but this is him calling them out now and it’s questioning character.
‘Have we got the mentaility to get over the line in these kind of games? When are we going to shift from being a side that’s okay with taking a point at Blackburn to actually we should have won this game? We should have been out of sight!.
‘He’s been calm. He’s not gone throwing tables and chairs. He’s been very measured, but he’ll be saying the same in the meetings and then those experienced players, the Marlon Packs, the Connor Ogilvies, who obviously got the goal, will be backing him by reiterating those ideas on the pitch and training pitch.’
Pompey are next in action on Tuesday night, when they play host to Swansea at Fratton Park.