Exclusive:Portsmouth boss John Mousinho future latest amid Bristol City’s managerial chase
The latest on John Mousinho’s Pompey future today - and Bristol City’s hunt for a permanent successor to Gerhard Struber.
Bristol City are still to formalise their continuing interest in Pompey boss John Mousinho.
The Blues are yet to receive an official approach, amid the ongoing glances cast towards their head coach from Ashton Gate.
Mousinho future and Bristol City managerial latest
And The News understands the Robins have stated their interest in different options to succeed Gerhard Struber on a permanent basis, by activating clauses which allow them to speak to a number of targets on their managerial shortlist.
The future of Pompey’s manager remains in doubt, with the 40-year-old eyed by their Championship rivals.
But that has not yet translated into a formal request to speak to the man who’s now three-and-a-half years into maiden managerial stint at PO4.
Bristol City have already activated a release clause in Lincoln City boss Michael Skubala’s contract, which led to talks but ultimately a likely stay at Sincil Bank for the League One title winner.
Skubala is believed to have reaffirmed his commitment to the Imps, yet it’s understood the club owned by billionaire Steve Lansdown has followed a similar path with a number of potential Robins candidates.
Sources at Fratton Park are clear it remains business as usual, with no change in terms of other clubs moving for Mousinho at this stage.
That clearly could change in the coming days, as Bristol City cement their position in terms of the man they see fit to take their club forward.
Mousinho is once again the clear favourite with the bookies for the job he’s previously been touted with, after Roy Hodgson was placed in temporary charge until the end of the season.
He is currently 4/7 favourite ahead of Skubala (11/8), with Paddy McCarthy (5/2) and Lee Carsley moving up the field (8/1) to join Russell Martin as fourth favourite. Everyone else in the betting is 33/1 and below.
Mousinho remains in his post, however, and undertaking duties as normal despite the noise over his future.
The man who guided Pompey to the League One title and two successful survival campaigns in the Championship has been undertaking preparations for the new campaign at the club’s Hilsea training base this week.
And Andy Cullen told The News on Thursday there’s been no official move for Mousinho, with that position remaining the case.
He said: ‘I was with John yesterday, and we're planning on lots of different things at the moment, all those different areas that you'd expect us to be looking at at this time of the season.
‘That's where we are. We're all aligned in terms of us all working together at the moment in terms of Rich, John, myself, the board, in terms of where we want to take the club forward next and where the club needs to go, having consolidated our place in the Championship for a third consecutive season.
‘That's what we're sort of working through. But there's lots of other areas that we need to get done over the summer as well. You've got the longer-term strategy, but you've also got the other areas that we're working through at the moment together.
‘We're determined to keep progressing the club forward. There's no doubt that that's everything that we all want to see.’