What Portsmouth can expect from Luke Le Roux with no-nonsense message fired

Luke Le Roux has promised to bring no-holds-barred physicality to Pompey’s midfield.

And the South Africa international has promised the Fratton faithful they will see the levels of commitment they demand in his performances this season.

Le Roux made his debut in last night’s 2-1 Carabao Cup defeat against Reading, following the 25-year-old’s arrival from IFK Varnamo last month.

The midfielder was one of the few Blues players who came close to the levels required, as John Mousinho’s men crashed out against the League One side.

Le Roux wasn’t prepared to to take credit for his display when it came as part of a losing performance from his team, but he did make it clear he will offer the determination and drive expected from Blues players if they are to succeed at PO4.

Le Roux said: ‘Look, I’m a player who will give 120 per cent day in, day out in training and then in the game. That is something you can never doubt about me, I will always try my best.

‘Footballers will make mistakes but it’s the work-rate and ethic which shows people you really want to try. That’s just me, I will give my best every day for the team.

‘I don’t want to give people too many expectations, but I will give my best for the team.

‘The feeling was my performance in the first half wasn’t that good.

‘In the second half it got a little bit better, but it’s not about individual performances. When the score is 2-0 to them, it’s about what can I do to help the team win this game.

‘No one should say they played well when the team lost. This is my feeling, I could have done more and should have done more.

‘That’s me (being physical), that’s a bit of me. I’m a number six, I try to be physical and I try to do my job.

‘I try do the dirty work for the team now and then when it’s needed. That’s me - and there’s more to come of that.’

Le Roux’s Pompey debut came in front of a crowd of 14,525, who turned out for their side’s first competitive action on home soil. That was comfortably the biggest crowd on the night in the competition, as they were left disappointed at what they saw from their side.

There as a smattering of boos at the break with the Blues 2-0 down, before academy lad Tayo Singerr reduced the arrears in stoppage time.

Le Roux added: ‘It was good to make my debut and I was really happy to play in front of the fans, but unfortunately it wasn’t what I wanted or hoped it would be like.

‘At the end of the day I will remember my first game at Pompey as a loss, unfortunately that is how it is. But we go on and it’s part of football. I’m just happy to be here and I want to go on with more positives than negatives.

‘I heard a lot of good things about the fans before I came here. The stadium wasn’t full for this game and I think on Saturday it will be full, but I still think it was good support.

‘Things didn’t go how wanted on the pitch, so the mood was a bit up and down in the stadium as well.

‘That’s understandable, because we weren’t good enough and unfortunately didn’t deliver enough, but we’ll be giving our best to put that right over the next few weeks.’