Portsmouth’s in-demand starlet storms to Championship award as stock soars
Adrian Segecic has received the Sky Bet Championship player of the month of the award for April - with John Mousinho short-listed for the manager honour.
Adrian Segecic has been named the Championship's player of the month for April.
Pompey’s attacking rising star has been acknowledged for a storming end to the season, as he picked up the award as the division’s standout performer.
Sky Bet player of the month award for Pompey starlet Segecic
But Blues boss John Mousinho was overlooked for the manager of the month honour, after guiding his side to second-tier safety.
Mousinho was shortlisted for the gong along with Blackburn’s Michael O’Neill, Coventry’s Frank Lampard and Southampton’s Tonda Eckert, with Eckert getting the vote.
Segecic received further acclaim after playing a central role in securing survival, as the 21-year-old stepped up with five goals and three assists from six games.
His maiden Championship hat-trick at Stoke City in the 3-1 victory at the end of last month capped a brilliant April, before the Sydney FC arrival signed off with the 11th finish of his first season in England against Birmingham City last weekend.
Segecic found himself shortlisted for the player of the month award along with Norwich City’s Mohamed Toure, Ipswich Town’s Christian Walton and Wrexham’s Josh Windass.
But it was the Pompey attacker’s goals and assists earned him the nod from the judging panel, which comprised former striker Don Goodman, EFL CEO and former Blues administrator Trevor Birch and Sky Bet EFL trader Ivor Davies.
Segecic’s form makes him one of the Championship’s hottest properties, with clubs from the Premier League, Championship and continent trailing the Croatia under-21 international.
There is always the potential for the popular figure to play himself into World Cup contention this summer, which is certain to see his valuation rise further.
Pompey boss Mousinho has acknowledged the fact Segecic is going to be a player who’s in demand moving forward.
Speaking to The News last month, he said: ‘It's always good to have your players in demand. Sometimes it provides some difficulties.
‘Obviously, we sold Callum Lang in January because of the amount of demand there was for the player.
‘There was probably a lot of interest in Josh (Murphy) last summer. And there's probably going to be interest in players this year that have done pretty well.
‘If you speak about Segs, for example, Segs, at the age of 21, with his seven goals, I'm sure there's going to be some suitors in the league and maybe even the league above.
‘That's something I think is a compliment to those players. It's always a good sign if other clubs want your players. It's probably not if you go through a window and no-one else wants them.’