Exclusive:Portsmouth Q&A with Neil Allen: Bielica, Milovanovic, Abu Kamara, Colby Bishop, transfer latest and much more
We asked for your Pompey questions - and here is a bumper edition of our regular Q&A feature...
With Mous saying he expected one in before Saturday's game against Bristol Rovers, then a couple Monday/ Tuesday and nothing happening, is it fair to assume things have gone wrong? Just seems weird as he will be more in the know than most and things obviously haven't gone to plan (@LWalterini1898)
Why won't we get a move on and get much needed players (@tomfox16)
Hi are the Marko and Daniel deals going to go through what is the hold up (@seangrant433)
Have we signed striker ( Marko 5M+ ) or not (Nigel Mills - Facebook)
They are around, they are signing, we’re just waiting for Pompey to announce it once all the respective paperwork and red tape have been completed.
Check out John Mousinho’s interview with The News after Bristol Rovers. Believe me, that is a head coach who definitely knows signings are on the way! He was very bullish, upbeat and a little playful. It wasn’t the behaviour of somebody disillusioned about transfer progress!
Which players that Mous would like to move on are actually attracting genuine interest? I can foresee some problems moving some on particularly given their injury records and lack of quality. Is the club prepared to cut their losses on players such as Le Roux for example? (@HaywardJust)
According to John Mousinho and Rich Hughes, there have been interest in a number of out-of-favour players. We knew that includes Ibane Bowat, Jacob Farrell and Luke Le Roux at the very least.
The issue is the likes of Bowat and Le Roux have been needed for pre-season friendlies, while Farrell has suffered yet another injury set-back and is out for another eight weeks. So their potential departures have been delayed.
In the case of Le Roux, considering Pompey paid around £1m for him 12 months ago and he has two years remaining on his contract, I really can’t see them cutting their losses and letting him leave on a free.
Given the seemingly increase in budget, how high (or low) in the rankings of Championship sides do you feel Pompey are now? Personally, I’d wager we’ve gone from bottom two, to a bottom six budget, but eager to hear your stance . Keep up the great work! (@Jon_H_Journo)
Will there be any teams with a lower playing budget than Pompey? (@SJH2705)
It’s always difficult to know where Pompey are in terms of wage standings in the league they occupy, especially at this stage. Benchmarking comes in during the second half of the season, which is when clubs can largely work out their placing through submitted information.
Certainly we know they were among the bottom two budgets in the Championship in the previous two years, most likely bottom in the first season. I think your prediction about a bottom six budget could well be accurate, particularly as Pompey - as it stands under the current ownership - will never be able to catch many clubs in terms of playing budgets.
With the increased budgets on the playing side of things, what do you think the targets are for the season in regards to league position. (@Captain_Outram)
The stock answer from Pompey is always progress. The first Championship season was 16th, last season was 18th, which shows a drop, yet, crucially, they stayed up.
They will be looking to move higher up the table this season, you need ambition, otherwise what’s the point? And let’s not forget that eight play-off spots are up for grabs from 2026-27.
Mousinho is not a head coach to be happy with just existing in the Championship, there is absolutely no doubt he will be trying to drive the Blues up the table. No doubt he’s also sick of relegation battles!
Are we going to finish top-8? (@PDThomas75)
I never make match predictions and I never make season predictions (unless forced to!). Some may see it as a cop-out, but I don’t see the point. You never truly know, so it’s largely an educated guess. Besides, the transfer window isn’t over yet, so we don’t even know how strong this squad will be.
Let’s not forget, Sol Campbell, Robert Prosinecki and Paul Merson arrived on the eve of their respective seasons!
How many signings do Pompey think they need after Bielica and Milovanovic sign (@AlanRay1169790)
For me they need a left-back, another central midfielder, and at least one winger, probably two. Obviously that depends on who leaves either on loan or permanent - and injuries.
Considering Pompey pushed for Luke Graham so hard as well, you would imagine they still want a first-choice centre-half. But again, some of the existing six would need to leave.
How do you decide who to post your good morning picture of? (@Thomas_2791)
I randomly think of them around 9am every day, sometimes flicking through my Pompey records and stats for inspiration.
Of course, there are people who believe a random photo on a certain day actually has a hidden meaning and is hinting at particular transfer business. When in truth, it’s nothing of the sort.
As I often say to people, it really isn’t that deep. It’s just an old photo.
Given how light we are at left back at present, are there any plans to reinforce it? Obviously Appiah was put in as a makeshift LB as he typically plays as a winger, but it'd be good to have a genuine LB to compete with Ogilvie. (@neiltansley.bsky.social)
It’s an interesting one. They have previously admitted they are looking for another left-back, but Mousinho said on Saturday that it wasn’t a priority.
I suppose the situation has been reassessed with Zak Swanson now back in full training and expected to return to action sooner than anticipated. Even as early as Wycombe, according to the head coach.
We also know Jordan Williams can play there, as can Ibane Bowat, although the latter is expected to leave Fratton Park this summer.
Neil, what have the agents been telling you to print. (Paul Byatt - Facebook)
This is local journalism, agents don’t tell us to print anything! We don’t have that gravitas or reach, strictly small fry.
Nationally, though, you see it everywhere. I remember Pompey being linked by a website with a Cheltenham right-back who was about to be released on a free! Absolute nonsense, yet it was about getting his name out there.
And we all now know Fabrizio Romano is available to the highest bidder, whether that’s a fast-food outlet or Saudi Arabia.
Looks like we have the CF and GK assuming the paperwork is completed. What's the status with Bish and do we have another CF lined up if he leaves? Thanks. (Peter Loten - Facebook)
It’s definitely a question to ask Mousinho once Milovanovic has been announced because, until then, everything is theoretical.
Bishop’s future has been asked before, though, with Mousinho insisting he wanted him to stay in light of links with Sheffield Wednesday. Perhaps that situation may change once another front-line striker comes in.
Certainly I would like Bishop to stay. Having two strikers properly competing for one spot has been a problem since returning to the Championship. Kirk, Brown and Yengi haven’t put enough pressure on Bishop, while Waddingham is always injured.
Why won't the owners allow us to have a reserve/development squad? (Gary Butcher - Facebook)
Football has long since got rid of reserve teams, they don’t exist anymore. Everything is about under-21/23 teams and development squads.
It has previously been mentioned to me that a development squad at Fratton Park would cost in excess of £500,000 a year. That would include employing 15-plus players, management, support staff, etc.
That key question is, would £500,000 a year be best served improving the first-team? Or would people prefer it to instead be allocated to a development squad with no guarantee of bringing players of the required calibre through?
What’s going on with Luke Brooke-Smith? Gone very quiet on that one unless I’ve missed something. (David Scott - Facebook)
Pompey are definitely interested in the New Zealand winger, yet so are a number of clubs from other countries, including Italy and the MLS.
It’s something to keep an eye on. The interest from Pompey’s end is a fact, they really like him.
Why has Richard Hughes still got a job at Portsmouth football club? (Dean Armstrong - Facebook)
I suppose the proof is in the pudding. Before he arrived in October 2022, Pompey were a mid-table League One side. Now they are approaching their third successive season in the Championship.
Last summer’s signings were poor overall - which also involved head of recruitment Brad Wall - but the recruitment in the summer of 2023 was among some of the best we have seen in a transfer window. Outstanding.
He has also overseen an important transformation off the pitch, making the club far more professional. Some doubted the need to appoint a sporting director, but I think we can all see its value now.
Abu Kamara, any update there? (Jason Forbes - Facebook)
Pompey want him - they are not even hiding it - and they’re in the market for him. It’s all about whether they can reach a successful negotiation with Hull.
Let’s face it, Abu has had two terrible years since that brilliant 2023-24 season in League One. He has struggled at Hull and didn’t play regularly on loan at Getafe. Now Hull are in the Premier League, why would they suddenly play him more?
The best period of Kamara’s career was at Fratton Park under John Mousinho. It would make sense for his own development to reignite that successful partnership, particularly after the struggles of his last two seasons.
What's going on with the central defence? Are we getting more and selling or sticking with what we have? (Steven Davis - Facebook)
As mentioned earlier, Pompey were prepared to spend £2m on Luke Graham and had been pursuing him since January. After missing out, I cannot imagine they will suddenly scrap the idea.
Rich Hughes actually told The News a few weeks ago that they would still like to bring someone in, providing it was the right calibre of player.
We know Ibane Bowat has been made available, which will still leave them five contracted centre-halves. That’s a lot. Although Mousinho has said five would be ideal considering the injury problems some of them have gone through and providing cover.
Unfortunately every year it’s a shambles compared to most other clubs, this year is no exception, where will be the bonding and settling in time needed. Starting on the back foot again. (Brian Price - Facebook)
On social media I have seen that same criticism levelled at plenty of other clubs across the country! In truth, though, I don’t pay too much attention to other clubs (apart from Villa), so I wouldn’t truly know whether Pompey are a ‘shambles’ compared to others.
Nobody has all their signings in during the first week of the transfer window in June, particularly Championship clubs, particularly when paying million-pound fees (rather than free transfers) and particularly when bringing in players from abroad.
All players being recruited early never happened in Milan Mandaric’s day, it never happened when Sacha Gaydamak was here, it never happened under fan ownership. It’s just how football works, unfortunately.