Portsmouth search for answers amid latest wave of injuries to hit Championship ambitions
Rich Hughes is searching for answers to the spate of attacking injuries faced by Pompey at present, with the sporting director highlighting a pattern emerging across the Championship and beyond.
Pompey are seeking specialist help to combat the latest wave of injuries hindering John Mousinho’s squad.
But sporting director, Rich Hughes, believes the number of issues afflicting the Blues at present is not out of keeping with those seen elsewhere across the game.
And Hughes feels it’s now up to Pompey and other clubs to find the answers to the increased demands being placed on players, in terms of the volume of football they are playing.
Mousinho options have once again been hit by a raft of players in the treatment room, with the head coach stating the absences ahead of Stoke last week were the worst in his time as boss.
That included a suspension to John Swift and eight other sidelined players, as Adrian Segecic joined those in the treatment room after limping off with an ankle injury against Coventry.
Hughes highlighted the club’s homework on the issue suggest the volume of injuries is in keeping with rivals, though Pompey’s problems are exacerbated by a flurry of attacking absences.
The Blues also have hamstring injuries to Harvey Blair, Franco Umeh, Callum Lang and Conor Shaughnessy, with a spate of such issues traditionally a medical red flag.
Hughes feels the ‘mind-blowing’ demands on players is a key factor in such a pattern, a stance outlined by Fifpro’s recent report stating fixture congestion is ‘negatively impacting’ players’ health and performance.
The Pompey chief isn’t hiding from the fact his club need to find answers to the shifting landscape in the game, however, as they seek expert guidance on the issue.
Hughes told the Tony Goodall Fans’ Conference earlier this month: ‘Speaking to specialists from around the game, this is something affecting everyone.
‘There’s a lot of articles around the rise of hamstring injuries in the game at the moment, and there was the Fifpro annual report this week which looked at the increased demands on players in the modern game.
‘The reduced space in-between games leads to these opportunities. We can’t do anything around contact injuries like Nico Schmid’s, but we’ve picked up frustrating hamstring injuries to Conor Shaughnessy and Callum Lang.
‘Although it always feels like we have more injuries than anyone else, we’re replicating what other clubs are going through. It really hurt us last year when we suffered a number of injuries in one position. This year, the balance of the squad helps us.
‘We have more options, and more depth within the squad. We’ll always want the best players available, but we’re better equipped to deal with it now when they’re not.
‘We’re speaking to specialists to see how we can adapt our work. The players do yoga, pilates, and ice pool recovery. But the game has evolved. The physical demands have gone through the roof.
‘Elite players are now expected to be 12 month athletes. Some players are starting over 70 games a year – that’s mind blowing. It’s an incredible amount of games to be playing, and a remarkable upturn. It’s now up to clubs to catch up to these increased demands.’