Minhyeok Yang's 9-word goodbye to Portsmouth faithful - plus details of chat with Frank Lampard before moving to Coventry
Minhyeok Yang has spoken following his Pompey exit and loan switch to Coventry City
Minhyeok Yang has posted a short message to Pompey fans following his Fratton Park exit and subsequent loan move to Championship leaders Coventry City.
The Spurs forward also revealed he’s held detailed discussions with Frank Lampard about how he’ll fit into the Sky Blues’ title-chasing team. That comes after sections of the Fratton faithful questioned the South Korea international’s latest move when he struggled to nail down a place in a Blues side currently struggling to retain their second-tier status.
Yang’s Fratton Park departure was confirmed on Tuesday night, after news broke earlier in the day that he had been recalled from his PO4 loan by Tottenham.
His last act in a Pompey shirt was his 90+8th minute winner against Charlton on December 29 in front of the Fratton end - an intervention that helped John Mousinho’s side claw themselves out of the relegation zone, where they’ve remained despite a heavy New Year’s Day loss to Bristol City and their game against Ipswich being called off due to a frozen pitch.
Surprisingly, the 19-year-old was not involved at all in the game at Ashton Gate as he remained on the bench - a place he found too familiar during his time at PO4. Indeed, he was an unused subsitute in nine of the Blues’ 24 Championship games before his exit, while just nine of his 17 appearances in all competitions came as starts.
That will no doubt have been a key factor in Spurs’ decision to recall the winger early from his season-long loan.
Despite the circumsmtances, Yang took to social media to say his goodbyes to the Fratton faithful and to thank them for their support during his five-month stay on the south coast. Writing on Instagram, he post the simple message: ‘Thank you to all Pompey fans. All the best.’
What Minhyeok Yang has said following move to Coventry
Unsurprisingly, Yang said more when he was unveiled as Coventry’s first signing of the January transfer window. And one of the key take-homes from his first words as a Sky Blues player related to game time at the CBS Arena.
The forward said he was confident this was the right move for him after discussions with Lampard, who oversaw Coventry’s 2-1 win over Pompey on October 21.
‘I’m very happy and excited to join a club with such strong traditions and history, ‘ said Yang.
‘When I played against Coventry, I really felt the positive atmosphere within the team, and that made me even more excited about becoming part of this club.
‘The Head Coach explained very clearly how he plans to use me and how I could fit into the team, which gave me a lot of confidence that this is the right place for me.
‘I want to help the team achieve its goal and to do that, I need to adapt as quickly as possible, show my qualities on the pitch, and prove why I am here.’
Coventry currently top the Championship table with a six-point advantage over second-placed Middlesbrough. Pompey travel to the CBS Arena on Tuesday, April 21 - their third-last game of the season.
For your next Pompey read: Transfer gossip: Portsmouth in chase for £2.6m attacker making big impact ahead of January move