'Logical choice': Ex-Watford and Accrington midfielder handed key Portsmouth Academy role
The 34-year-old joined Pompey from Watford’s Academy in the summer of 2024
Pompey have recruited from within to fill their Pompey Academy coach vacancy.
Under-18s assistant coach Piero Mingoia has stepped up to replace Sam Hudson as lead professional development phase coach.
Having impressed working alongside Hudson for two years, the Blues favoured promoting the 34-year-old former Watford, Accrington Stanley and Cambridge United midfielder.
And, according to Pompey head of Academy James Barlow, the appointment was a ‘logical choice’.
‘He has a fantastic pedigree for us’
Barlow told The News: ‘We are looking to restructure, not drastically, but what’s really important is we have to take stock and look at where we are.
‘Internal progression is really important for me in terms of staff development and Piero, who was our under-18s assistant, has progressed into Sam’s position.
‘He has been with us for two years and worked with Sam on a daily basis, so has a really strong alignment not just leading our under-17s last year but also knowing the players across the programme from the under-15s all the way across.
‘It’s a logical choice for us. The players hang on every word he says and, with a playing career at Watford, Accrington and Cambridge United, he has a fantastic pedigree for us.
‘Piero is extremely humble, extremely diligent, extremely hard-working, but what impresses me the most is everything he does is all about the players - and that’s a real credit to him and his motivation.
‘Having been in that space before, the first thing he ever considers is the player and how they develop.’
Scored Accrington’s winner at Fratton Park in 2014
Hudson left Pompey at the end of last season following four seasons at Fratton Park, serving the last two years as lead professional development phase coach.
As his replacement, the Enfield-born Mingoia possesses a strong Football League playing background, with almost 300 first-team appearances to his name.
During his time at Accrington, he scored a late Fratton Park winner in a 3-2 success over Pompey in December 2014.
Marcus Bean and Craig Westcarr scored for the Blues side that day in front of a 14,300 crowd, while future Pompey League Two champion Kal Naismith was an unused substitute for the visitors.
Having started his career at Watford, making five Championship appearances, Mingoia is best known for his time at Accrington, where he featured 156 times and scored 15 goals over three spells.
He later represented Cambridge United for two seasons, totalling 74 games and seven goals, before featuring for Morecambe and Boreham Wood.
After retiring at the age of 30 in 2021, he has focused on coaching, a pathway which has taken him to the Blues’ under-18s as lead coach.
‘Piero has earnt his stripes’
Barlow added: ‘It’s really important to fuel that identity and how we wish to do things in the Academy.
‘Piero has done his apprenticeship in his previous role, if you like, and he’s earned his stripes to lead. He has shown that many, many ways off the pitch more often than on.
‘That’s exactly what we wish for, we want people to progress in the programme. Staff development and internal progression is massive.’
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