'Better than ever': Portsmouth boss hails rejuvenated Fratton Park favourite
The Buckland boy has made 121 appearances and scored nine times since returning to Fratton Park
John Mousinho marvelled at Marlon Pack’s Pompey rejuvenation and insisted: He’s better than ever.
The skipper missed the start of the season after undergoing keyhole surgery on his right knee, while didn’t even feature until eight matches in.
However, the 34-year-old has now re-established himself in the Blues side following a superb substitute cameo in defeat at Ipswich, starting three successive matches, including Saturday’s impressive 1-1 draw at Leicester City.
During that period, Mousinho’s men have collected five points, while Pack has been a superb presence in the midfield engine room alongside Andre Dozzell.
And the head coach continues to be impressed by the former Cardiff man’s ongoing presence in his team.
Portsmouth boss: It’s amazing he had knee surgery after the first week of the season
He told The News: ‘Marlon fully deserved to come into the side off the back of his pre-season, he was well in for a start against Oxford. You guys saw how good he was particularly against Reading.
‘Then he picked up that knee injury. It’s amazing Marlon had knee surgery after the first week of the season and has come back looking as good - if not probably better - as at certain times I have coached him.
‘He gives us that calmness, he gives us that leadership in the middle of the park, and he’s been a really bright spark over the past couple of weeks. If you just look at the performances in the three-and-a-half games he’s played, he’s been very, very good and contributed to the wins and points.
‘We weren't in a terrible spot before Marlon came in, we were in a decent-enough position. We were juggling around what we were doing with the midfield, we played around with a midfield three a fair bit in terms of the personnel.
‘Doz has been a consistent member, he has started all the games, Marlon has come in and things have clicked very well for him. He has very much deserved to have the plaudits and deserved to be in the side.
‘Credit to Marlon, he will probably have been disappointed not to play a few more games previously, but he kept his head down, kept going and took his chance when he could.’
Out of contract next summer
Pack turns 35 in March and is out of contract at the season’s end, having returned to his beloved Fratton Park in June 2022.
Signed by Danny Cowley, it was Mousinho who handed him the captaincy in January 2023, having been appointed as head coach.
And the veteran’s leadership has been pivotal to the Fratton Park transformation overseen by Mousinho and sporting director Rich Hughes.
‘I’m sure he will make a fantastic coach’
He added: ‘I know Marlon is really keen to make sure he maximises his playing career, but I’m sure he’ll make a fantastic coach and a fantastic head coach at some point.
‘That is very useful for me because you can see me screaming and shouting on the sidelines and sometimes my message doesn’t get across, but Marlon understands the game very well.
‘He gives that calmness on the ball, he’s a very, very, very good footballer and athletically, at the minute, he’s looking very good.’