Portsmouth skipper responds to flak for defensive performances as he stands up for Championship record
Marlon Pack stood up for his Pompey defensive record and vowed: I’ll never hide.
And the Blues skipper promised he’d continue to brush off any criticism which came his way, as he analysed his makeshift defence performances for John Mousinho’s side in the Championship this term.
Pack admitted operating in the back line was far from his preferred position, but it’s a job he’s more than happy to carry out for the greater good of his team’s bid for survival.
The Buckland boy was moved to the back line last November, as he answered a centre-back crisis by helping his team to a crucial win over Preston.
That was the start of 18 outings in the back four for the 34-year-old, with Pompey winning seven, drawing two and losing nine of those fixtures. In the previous 15 games, the Blues had won once.
That is something the midfielder is willing to accept though he pointed out not all the incidents he’s taken flak for should necessarily fall on his shoulders, as he gave a balanced and reasoned assessment of what’s unfolded.
Pack said: ‘I was asked to play centre-half after never playing there before - and I took on the challenge head on.
‘I made some mistakes and didn’t hide, but when you look at them some I should have done better for and some, when I look back and process them, it’s football.
‘Plymouth, for example, I give the ball away in our half and they go on and score. Is that my fault? Yes. Then there’s moments where it’s what we do as a team. Without going into too much detail, it’s what we work on as a team.
‘So it’s not me going off script, but when we are up against a single striker and a high 10, if we go for a man-for-man press, then our spare man will be our centre-half and their spare man is the 10.
‘So you go and press him because we’ve gone man for man. It’s the risk and reward of everything and then it comes back to the level, where sometimes an individual will have good moments of skill.
‘I’ve learned defensively there’s a lot more at stake if I try to play the ball, but maybe that was why I was in the team to add a bit more of that to the team.’
Mousinho now has to decide how to approach the Easter period in terms of defensive selection, with the Pompey boss suggesting Rob Atkinson will not get through two games in quick succession after returning from a calf injury.
That does raise the possibility of either a reshuffle with Connor Ogilvie in the middle and Cohen Bramall at left-back, or Pack going into the back four for a 19th time against Norwich or Watford.
Pompey skipper’s reponse to stick
Despite facing flak this term, the man who lifted the League One title, was named in the team of the season and picked up player of the year promised he would attack the job with the same philosophy he has done this term.
Pack added: ‘I take everything with a pinch of salt. It’s football, there’s highs, there’s lows and as an individual there’s probably been more lows than highs this season - but that’s fine. It’s part of the game, I can accept that, grow from it, learn from it and become a better player from it. That’s all I can do.
‘What I will do though, if I make a mistake I won’t hide and I’ll still want the ball in the next game. I’ll never hide, you won’t see me just shelling it up the pitch because that’s not how I play, that’s not in my mindset or part of my make-up.
‘So I feel I stood in when we needed it, won some great games, made some mistakes and lost some games. We’ve done that all season, that’s the Championship.
‘I’ve probably played more games at centre-half than I’d like to, but it is what it is and I’d play for this football club in any position.’