‘He knows that’: High-profile £2.2m summer capture’s challenge after finding himself in Portsmouth cold
He’s dropped out of the Pompey starting XI for the Championship defeat at Southampton and the Fratton Park win over Sheffield United.
Rocco Shein has to make improvements to his game to succeed in the Championship.
But Pompey boss John Mousinho remains convinced of the £2.2m summer signing’s credentials, despite the midfielder falling out of his starting XI.
Mousinho on Shein: ‘He knows he can improve, both in and out of possession.’
Shein has not played a minute of the past two games against Southampton and Sheffield United, after finding the going tough since arriving from Norwegian outfit Fredrikstad FK this summer.
Shein was the first multi-million pound capture since the Premier League era, when the deal was announced in the middle of July.
That saw plenty of excitement around the 23-year-old, with the Estonia international producing a man-of-the-match Carabao Cup display, in his competitive bow at West Ham United on the opening day.
Shein’s form has fluctuated since, leading to his half-time withdrawal in the meetings with Bristol City and Blackburn Rovers.
Mousinho insisted there’s no issue with the player, as he needs to stay patient and wait for his opening.
He said: ‘Rocco’s fine. He’s had some time out of the side, it won’t do him any harm.
‘It certainly hasn’t done some of the players who are now playing frequently any harm at all.
‘He just needs to stay patient and wait to take his chance, that’s the thing.
‘There’s too much made of team selection and that stigma of out of the side these days.
‘Changing the side is just a part of game. At the minute Rocco hasn’t featured in the last two, but there’s no issue.
‘Rocco knows that and he knows he can improve, both in and out of possession.
‘He knows that, but he is going to be a very good player for us.’
Mousinho feels adjusting to a new country and football culture is another part of Shein’s football education, as he settles in at Fratton Park.
The Pompey boss highlighted the game he is experiencing in the English second tier is a distant from what he was involved with earlier this year in the Norwegian Eliterserien.
Mousinho added: ‘He’s come over from Norway.
‘No disrespect to the Norwegian top level, but it’s a different beast to the Championship.
‘It’s just different. It’s not any better or worse, but it’s just a lot more intense.
‘Compared to the way their football is played it’s a lot more physical.’