Wanted: New leaders for Portsmouth's dressing room - and their skipper has identified the perfect candidate

The dressing room driving force behind the League One champions have lost Joe Rafferty and Joe Morrell from their ranks since May.

Of the five, thankfully Marlon Pack, Colby Bishop and Will Norris remain, trusted by John Mousinho to act as the players’ voice with the management and setters of standards on and off the pitch.

It’s a relationship between head coach and his senior players that Pack believes has been pivotal to the Blues finally tasting Championship football once more.

Now the hunt is on for replacements to fill the vacancies - and their skipper has a player in mind.

Pack told The News: ‘We don’t want one voice or just me being captain, I want us all to be opinionated and have a say on things, that’s off the pitch and as well as on it.

‘Communication in all aspects, not just football, is very important in life. So if we can continue to communicate as a group - and that is done in the right manner - then I think that’s a recipe for success.

‘It’s important as a captain to set standards and for your older experienced players to also do that - then everyone else follows.

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‘What does that entail? It’s being a voice for the dressing room in private issues. Things we need, things we want, things we want to improve on, things we think are going well.

‘The gaffer is great at interacting with us from that aspect because it isn’t a box-ticking exercise. It’s a genuine how do you feel, do you feel you could do better, what do you need, etc, etc.

‘As a group it’s good for us, because when you’re a part of decision-making or have a voice, everyone combines in making the greater good. I think that bodes for success or creates a real harmony.

‘All modern managers have leadership groups, perhaps they do it just because it’s the thing to do nowadays - but it definitely isn’t at this football club.

‘It’s been important because the gaffer is open to it as well, he is open to our opinion, whether that's good or bad. If I feel something is not going right I have confidence in our relationship and communication that I can be open, certainly it won’t get taken in a bad way.

‘Sometimes that can happen with managers or coaches, they say they want opinions but when someone does voice their opinion it is shoved back down your throat.

‘We still have a good core here - but Conor Shaughnessy would be a great one to step up.’

Shaughnessy was one of Pompey’s most outstanding performers last season, starting 45 of their 46 league matches.

He was rightly rewarded with a new three-year deal this summer as his importance to the Blues continues to grow.

Pack added: ‘You are now going to have players stepping up, players who have been here a year, someone like Shocks.

‘It would be really good for him because positionally at centre-half you have that leadership on the pitch and he is also now familiar with the group.

‘What with signing a new deal, which he fully deserves, obviously he’s now going to be part of the furniture for a long time. For someone like him, it would be great to step into a leadership role.’