‘He's a monster’: Blackburn Rovers boss ready to unleash former Portsmouth man in Fratton Park return
Hayden Carter spent the second half of the 2021-22 campaign on loan at Fratton Park.
Tony Mowbray is ready to unleash ‘monster’ former Pompey loanee Hayden Carter at Fratton Park on Saturday.
And the Blackburn Rovers boss believes the central defender has the qualities to play at the top of the Championship if he was to remain fit.
The 26-year-old, who spent the second half of the 2021-22 campaign on loan at PO4, is poised to feature against his former side after recovering from an early-season injury issue.
Carter has had to battle fitness and availability issues in the opening weeks of the campaign, while competition for places in Mowbray’s backline remains strong.
Now back to full fitness, the centre-back registered his first start of the season against Millwall last time out and impressed in Rovers’ 3-1 triumph at Ewood Park.
Blackburn boss ready to unleash monster ex-Pompey man
It represented the defender’s third appearance under the new boss, having been a leading operator in former head coach Michael O’Neill’s ranks last term.
And Mowbray has challenged Carter to establish himself in his backline - and is ready to unleash the ex-Pompey man at Fratton once again.
Speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire, the Blackburn boss said: ‘Hayden has to get started and get himself going.
‘He should be playing in a team right at the top of this league as a minimum for him.
‘I watch him in pre-season winning the 1K race they have. He can run and physically he's a monster. We have to get him up to speed, fit and stay fit.
‘If I have to then play a back three because they're the best players, I will do it. I don't really worry about the shape, it's how we play and press the opposition.
‘We did it against Millwall because of the aerial bombardment but we got through it ok with the system we played.’
Hayden Carter’s Pompey career
Recruited under Danny Cowley in January 2022, Carter was a shining light in a difficult run-in at Fratton Park that season.
He appeared 22 times for the Blues during his five-month stay on the south coast, with his sole strike coming against Oxford United. His long-range effort saw him claim the club’s goal of the season accolade.
With his stock on the rise after his impressive loan stint, the centre-back returned to Ewood Park that summer and has since established himself as a strong Championship operator.
But Carter has been heavily impacted by injury since his Fratton stay and was restricted to just 10 outings in all competitions last term, but netted a stoppage time equaliser against John Mousinho’s men during a 1-1 draw in March.
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