Portsmouth boss outlines stance with EFL clubs set to vote for huge change to Championship season
The Championship could be headed for a huge shift, with the play-offs shaken up from next season. Here’s Pompey boss John Mousinho with his thoughts on the changes to be voted on by EFL members.
Pompey boss John Mousinho isn’t in favour of expanding the play-offs with EFL clubs set to vote on a shake-up to the end-of-season shootout.
And the Blues boss insisted he stance on expanding the set-up to six sides wouldn’t change - even if his side were beneficiaries by finishing eighth in the second tier next term.
Pompey boss not in favour of extending Championship play-offs
The 72 EFL clubs are reportedly set to vote on a massive change to the play-off format, which would see sides who finish third to eighth have their campaign extended.
That would mean the fifth-placed team playing the eighth-placed team and sixth taking on seventh in a one-off eliminator round. They would then progress to two-legged semi-finals, against those who finished third and fourth.
The move was approved at an EFL board meeting last week and would be first introduced in the Championship next term, then subsequently implemented in League One and League Two if successful.
EFL members are now set to vote on the new format on March 5, with a simple majority from its 72 members required to make it a reality.
Speaking about the proposal, however, Mousinho stated his position is he would keep the existing set-up in place, with the Pompey boss content how things work now.
He said: ‘I quite like the format as it is, I’d keep it like that.
‘There’s always that argument between the sixth-placed team and the third-placed team, there’s always a big points gap there.
‘There’s always a bit of needle around that, there was last in the National League with York City, I think.
‘Everybody will know what the situation is before the season - and everyone should accept that - but I think sixth is a good cut-off.
‘I haven’t properly thought about it, but if you start having that disparity between third and eighth it can be too big.’
Mousinho on play-offs: ‘I’d be loathe to change it’
Mousinho made it clear he’s in support of the play-offs, which were first introduced in 1987 and determined by a Wembley final since 1990.
Pompey, of course, have a shocking play-off record, missing out on automatic promotion to West Ham by one goal in the 1992-93 season and then going out to Leicester City - who finished 12 points behind Jim Smith’s side.
The Blues have failed to win any of the eight play-off games they’ve taken part in, but Mousinho believes they keep the season alive for teams - doing so perfectly in its current guise.
And the Pompey boss promised his stance wouldn’t shift, even if his side were beneficiaries of an extended play-offs moving forward.
He added: ‘If that’s the state of play (eighth doesn’t finish in the play-offs) and that’s the parameters before the season starts, then it’s absolutely fine. You just go with it.
‘I’ve been involved in the game now for more than 20 years and I think the addition of the play-offs to the Football League are brilliant.
‘It creates a lot of excitement at the back end of the season, it creates a lot of excitement and jeopardy for the sides anywhere between fourth and 10th at the back end of the season.
‘Everything is really tight and there’s now a distinct group, say, in the Championship who aren’t going to make the play-offs.
‘But apart from that, probably from Sheffield United upwards, every side probably thinks they can nick a spot in there if they go on a decent run. So I think it works pretty well as it is, that’s why I’d be loathe to change it.’