Latest: Portsmouth's positive update after Josh Murphy suffers Slovakia training injury
There was a Pompey heart-in-mouths moment in Slovakia as Josh Murphy suffered a training injury. John Mousinho has the latest.
John Mousinho has delivered a Josh Murphy update after the winger suffered a Slovakia training camp injury.
The key Blues asset has supporters fearing the worst yesterday when picking up a hip issue during their club’s final day of their week-long stay near Bratislava.
Mousinho Pompey training camp injury concern
Fans were welcomed into the camp, with around 60 fans watching Mousinho’s squad at an open training session at the X-Bionic Sphere sport and leisure resort in Samorin.
They watched the Blues put through their paces culminating in a 10 v 10 training match, which was played at a high tempo.
It was in that match Murphy went down hurt in a heart-in-mouths moment for onlookers over the man who delivered 21 goal contributions last term.
The 30-year-old attempted to continue the game but was in clear discomfort and unable to move freely and at any speed.
Murphy then received treatment after the match, with the club today travelling back to England ahead of the pre-season friendly programme getting underway next week.
Mousinho has moved to quell any worries over the extent of the injury for the arrival from Oxford United.
The Pompey boss is comfortable about the extent of Murphy’s injury and expects him to be available for selection when his side travel to Working on Tuesday evening.
Mousinho said: ‘Murph just got a whack on his hip.
‘He was limping around but managed to complete the session.
‘He should be fine and he’ll be back for the next session when we arrive back in England and ready for the games next week.’
Murphy wasn’t the only injury concern from Pompey’s final session in Slovakia, with there the worrying sight of Ibane Bowat having to curtail his involvement.
The defender’s had a nightmare period after rupturing his patella tendon three training sessions into his Fratton career last September, after arriving from Fulham.
Bowat Pompey injury ‘precautionary’
Bowat suffered the injury to his right knee taking an unopposed shot in training at the club’s training base in Hilsea.
The 22-year-old was delighted to complete his first full training session in Slovakia this week in a landmark moment on his road to recovery.
The aim was for the central defender to pick up some pre-season minutes in friendlies, with a view to being available for selection for the trip to Oxford United on the opening day of the season.
It remains to be seen what Bowat’s path ahead now looks like, though Mousinho yesterday confirmed to The News taking the Londoner out of training was a precautionary measure.
Mousinho said: ‘Ibane had to come off today in training.
‘It’s a little bit frustrating because he’s had a good week and had his first full session out here, but fortunately it’s just precautionary.
‘He’d already been feeling some discomfort so had an injection in the knee, but it’s a different part of the right knee.
‘It has nothing to do at all with the patella tendon, which is what Ibs injured last year.
‘It has nothing to do whatsoever with the previous injury, so that’s reassuring for us.’