'Sometimes it happens': No regrets from Portsmouth boss over Ibane Bowat sale to Huddersfield Town
The former Fulham man made 16 appearances in two seasons at Fratton Park before leaving in August
John Mousinho doesn’t regret selling Ibane Bowat to Huddersfield in the summer.
And Pompey’s head coach insists Conor Shaughnessy, Regan Poole, Madiodio Dia and the incoming Benjy Arthur were all ahead of him in the battle for centre-half places.
Bowat left Fratton Park in August after 16 appearances in two seasons, having struggled to break into the first-team since missing the 2024-25 campaign through serious injury.
Entering the final 12 months of his contract, Pompey opted to offload the ex-Fulham man to the Terriers on the eve of this season for an undisclosed fee.
The 24-year-old has since featured 12 times, of which nine have been league starts, as he thrives in regular football with the fourth-placed side.
But amid injuries to Shaughnessy, Arthur and Connor Ogilvie, plus criticism of Dia’s form, Mousinho has no qualms over the decision to let Bowat depart.
‘Ibane's playing time was clearly very limited’
He told The News: ‘I had a chat with Ibane at the back end of last year about playing time and Ibane's playing time was clearly very limited.
‘When we had the opportunity to change centre-backs last year, we didn’t necessarily use Ibane coming in. He did start a few games, but it was a question of where he would line up in the context of having centre-backs in the building this season.
‘If you look at where we were last year, all three of the lads Shocks, Regan and Jojo played ahead of Ibane last, so we clearly had those guys ahead of him - and we brought Benjy in.
‘I think anybody with half a footballing brain could have seen how well Benjy has done and how advanced he is.
‘The only question mark you can potentially have is the fact we have picked up injuries, but that has nothing to do with Ibane. It has everything to do with what we are looking at with the current squad.’
Bowat has been featuring either as a left-sided centre-half in a back three or at left-back for promotion-hunting Huddersfield this term.
He had the misfortune of scoring an 88th-minute own goal against Sheffield Wednesday last weekend, as the Owls fought back to draw 2-2.
In the meantime, Pompey have issues in the centre of defence with Shaughnessy a doubt to face Sheffield United on Wednesday night, while Arthur isn’t expected to return from his fractured back until the New Year.
‘We made the call at the time’
Mousinho added: ‘Sometimes it happens, there’s every chance we keep Ibane and he doesn't do particularly well this year, it happens.
‘Football is littered with that, you never know whether players are going to do well if you keep them in, a player could go elsewhere and do really well. But it might not have worked out for him here for whatever reason.
‘It’s one of those where we made the call at the time and wish Ibane the best of luck.’