Cardiff loanee Omar Bogle: I’m enjoying Saturdays with Portsmouth again after dealing with too many ‘political’ issues during spells at Birmingham, Wigan, Peterborough

The striker is revelling in regular football at Pompey after having to worry about the ‘political side’ of things too much over the past couple of years. 

Bogle completed a loan move to Fratton Park from Cardiff City in the January transfer window.

And the 25-year-old has made a superb impact, scoring four goals in eight appearances before yesterday’s trip to Shrewsbury Town.

Bogle spent the opening half of the campaign at Birmingham City. 

He was firmly on the periphery of things, though, making just three starts in 16 appearances for Garry Monk’s side.

That followed on from disappointing spells at Wigan, Cardiff and Peterborough, where he didn’t nail down a starting spot. 

Bogle admitted external factors out of his hands meant he’s played far fewer games than he would have liked.

But the former Grimsby marksman has firmly cemented his place in Kenny Jackett’s starting XI during the Blues’ League One promotion push.

‘I’m enjoying it a lot – I’m loving it,’ said Bogle. 

‘I’m really enjoying working under the manager and with the boys here.

‘It’s a good club and now I can enjoy my Saturdays again playing football.

‘It was really frustrating at Birmingham. It was just like being a spare part because I was never really going to play.

‘I played 16 times but I started only three games and from the rest I probably accumulated 45 minutes of football if I was lucky.

‘I was never really going to get a chance and it was frustrating, because I was working hard to get into the team but it just didn’t work out.

‘Obviously, I work hard in training but come Saturday it’s then about working hard for the team.

‘I don’t have to worry about any external factors, which I have had to think about in the past two years.

‘It’s been fitting into systems, whether a manger wants to play me and managers have judged me for how I talk and dress.

‘That impacts how much I play and they’re things that are out of my control.

‘It’s the political side of it, you could say, is what I have had to deal with in the past two years.

‘Now I don’t have to worry about that and can just think about doing well for the club.’

Despite hailing from the west midlands, Bogle hasn’t suffered from home sickness on the south coast.

He’s relishing his time at Fratton Park and his sole focus is making sure he’s in the best shape possible to aid the Blues’ Championship charge,

Bogle added: ‘To be fair, how I am off the pitch I just sit in my house and watch TV!

‘I hardly even go home since I’ve come to Portsmouth. I’ve been back once.

‘I’m just focusing on being here and getting myself right so I can play the best I can.’