'Characteristics I want to see': Portsmouth boss addresses Colby Bishop captaincy decision
The long-serving striker has worn the Blues armband for the opening two matches of he season
John Mousinho is without his dressing room lieutenant, yet he’s convinced Colby Bishop is the perfect deputy.
In Marlon Pack’s injury absence, the long-serving striker has worn the captain’s armband for the opening two games of the season.
It’s a duty the 29-year-old has performed on plenty of occasions during his Fratton Park career, with the head coach recognising the ex-Accrington man’s natural leadership and the respect he holds among playing colleagues.
Under Mousinho in the past, Regan Poole, Josh Murphy and Joe Morrell have stepped in when Pack hasn’t been included in a starting XI either through injury or selection preference.
Yet it’s Bishop who is currently being entrusted with the captaincy and, with 177 games and 60 goals for the Blues, Mousinho believes the striker brings plenty to the role.
‘They are the characteristics I want to see in a captain’
He told The News: ‘Colby has been here for four seasons now, he’s an unbelievable part of the football club’s history.
‘Obviously last year he didn’t hit the heights that he wanted, but he leads from the front in terms of the way he plays, in terms of physicality, in terms of the fact he will put his body on the line.
‘He will also pop up and lead the team in terms of his quality when he’s at it, with his goalscoring and the way he links the game.
‘Ultimately, they are the characteristics I want to see in a captain. He is vocal, he can lead from the front and he can influence all the other players around him. With all those things combined, that’s why we’ve ended up giving him the armband.
‘It doesn't make an ounce of difference to me in terms of my expectations of players, whether I give them the armband or not. I still want the players to perform exactly as they would do in terms of leadership.
‘Colby has the armband, but that’s exactly the same for all the players. If they have leadership qualities and leadership characteristics in them, then they need to show that every day.’
Portsmouth skipper since January 2023
Previously, Clark Robertson and Sean Raggett had the honours under Danny Cowley and then caretaker boss Simon Bassey, depending on availability.
Pack has remained Mousinho’s choice ever since, including taking the armband whenever introduced off the bench, such is his crucial influence on the team.
Mousinho added: ‘We’ve had different captains over my time here. Regan has done it very well, Murph, obviously Colby, Marlon as club captain, Joe Morrell was vice-captain that promotion year and picked it up when Marlon was out. Across the board there's flexibility there.
‘It’s a really important role. It is different to say a cricket captain, who makes all the decisions and selection decisions - and the reason I say that is I want all of the players to act and behave like captains on the pitch.
‘Marlon is club captain and, if he plays, he’s team captain as well. He is captain of everything as far as I am concerned. I’ve never felt the need to name anything, it's just natural, and Marlon very, very deservedly is captain of the football club.’