'I know he's not happy': Portsmouth boss explains reasoning behind surprise early-season omission
The central defender started the Blues’ opening two games - and has totalled five minutes of first-team action since
John Mousinho has explained why Regan Poole has been an early-season selection casualty.
And the head coach has offered first-team hope to a player who started more games than any other Pompey team-mate last term.
Poole’s five-minute cameo off the bench at Charlton on Saturday represented his first outing in a month, having previously lined up against QPR in a 3-1 home defeat.
After an uncharacteristically shaky opening two matches, he has since lost his first-team place to Benjy Arthur, while Madiodio Dia was preferred against Derby.
According to Mousinho, however, it was an omission influenced by injury niggles - and the former Manchester United man remains in his selection thoughts.
‘It was affecting his performances’
Pompey’s head coach told The News: ‘Football quickly moves both ways, there’s every chance Regan’s back in the side really quickly as well.
‘What we have to try to remember with players is that being left out of a side can sometimes be made out to be a much bigger deal than it actually is.
‘We pick sides based on who we think is going to win games at the weekend and Regan came out of the team to deal with a couple of physical issues he was having.
‘He was feeling his hamstrings, he wasn’t quite there with a bit of neural pain he was having in particular, so it was just about bringing him away from that.
‘He’s now much closer to 100 per cent than he was at the start of the season, he was playing through a fair bit of pain and trying to do the best he possibly could for the team.
‘Once we’ve got Regan back to full fitness then he has every chance of competing for that first-team spot. It was affecting his performances as well, I don't think he was fully up to speed in the first couple of games.
‘He missed Lincoln for that to settle down - and Bristol City as well - so it’s just making sure the problem has calmed down a bit.
‘Regan’s training hard, keeping his head down and he’ll be absolutely fine.’
43 Portsmouth appearances in 2025-26
Poole has emphatically proven he is over his injury problems, finishing as the joint-leading appearance maker with Colby Bishop in the 2025-26 campaign, with both making 43.
However, after shipping six goals in the opening two matches this term, Brentford loanee Arthur was brought into the Blues’ starting XI as his replacement.
The 20-year-old has swiftly struck up an encouraging centre-half partnership with Conor Shaughnessy, with the goalless draw at Charlton marking successive clean sheets.
Although there was still the opportunity for Poole to appear off the bench late on at The Valley to produce those customary defensive blocks as Pompey came under some late pressure.
‘Regan has been as good as gold’
Mousinho added: ‘Regan has been as good as gold. I know he’s not happy, I know he wants to be in the side, I know he’s determined to get back into the team - but he doesn’t show it by sulking around.
‘He’s a brilliant guy to have around the place and that’s going to stand him in good stead. He just needs to keep training as hard as he can.
‘Benjy has performed really well and I’m sure Regan looks at the side and is understanding of that, so no issue there.’
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