Portsmouth boss’ challenge to Eisners as he seeks clarity over transfer plans
Talk over increased spending for Pompey is dominating, after they secured their Championship status.
John Mousinho insisted he will be difficult to deal with in talks over his club’s transfer plans.
And the Pompey boss believes the club’s owners should expect to be challenged, as he shows the desire to push his team forward and establish them as a Championship force.
Mousinho: ‘I will be difficult to deal with in terms of demanding more’
Mousinho is anticipating finding some clarity over the transfer pathway ahead, with the head coach clear ‘significant figures’ will need to be spent to land established second-tier operators.
The 39-year-old believes Pompey can make progress up the league, with his thoughts firmly on how that can be achieved.
Mousinho said: ‘It’s nothing I’ve thought about (his future), my only priority now is to try to put forward what I think is right for the football club.
‘I’ll make no bones about how much I’ve enjoyed being here and how lucky and privileged I am to have taken this position in the first place.
‘I’ll always feel privileged to lead this football club.
‘What I don’t want to do is mix that with any sense of not having the ambition to push this club forward.
‘It’s mixing that with the fact I am eternally grateful for being given the chance to come and work here.
‘I think one of the reasons the club hired me as a long-term appointment was to hopefully push on further and further.
‘I have my ideas about how we can do it and I’ll be as clear and firm as I possibly can be.
‘I think that’s a good thing. I don’t think there’s any owner out there who wouldn’t want their head coach and sporting director not pushing that. So that’s my priority at the moment.
‘I know how much this football club means to everyone in the city and beyond and to everyone who works here and everyone connected with it.
‘We’ve breathed a huge sigh of relief at staying at the level and we feel that’s the minimum for the football club. It’s now about how we kick on.’
Pompey boss: ‘How can we be club who can compete for play-offs’
When developing his thoughts on the club’s progress, Mousinho sees a move towards challenging for a top-eight finish as realistic for Pompey with the right backing.
Mousinho added: ‘There’s no one at the football club saying we need to be in the Premier League in the next year or two years.
‘But I think the fans would like a little less of the fear of relegation and a little more stability.
‘Then it’s how can we move on? How can we edge forward to being a club who can compete for the play-offs and a top eight place now those two places have opened up?
‘If we can edge forward towards that in however many years that will be represent progression and that will represent stability.
‘At that point are we going to be ready off the pitch for the next level? Hopefully we will be. It’s about making steady progress towards that.’