Familiar destinations on Pompey pre-season agenda

The Blues visited the Emerald Isle last summer for a training camp and played two friendlies.

They first took on boss Paul Cook’s former side Sligo Rovers, which ended in a 3-3 draw.

They then beat Dublin-based outfit Bohemians 2-0.

Meanwhile, Cook flew Pompey to Portugal for his first training camp, after taking the helm at Fratton Park in May 2015.

The Blues will be preparing for life in League One for the first time in five years this summer, after securing promotion at Notts County on Monday.

The manager revealed both trips would provide the necessary groundwork for the task ahead.

‘I’m quite consistent in what I like to do, usually,’ Cook said.

‘I enjoyed my time in Ireland when we were there.

‘If we can go back and play there, it will be great.

‘We take good support there, as well.

‘We enjoy getting across to Portugal because of the warm weather.

‘We’ve had a couple of training camps in Portugal and it’s all good.

‘It’s nice for the lads to start pre-season with a game of golf and stuff.

‘It then leads into all of the pain.

‘One of the things we pride ourselves in here is the fitness levels of our players.

‘We don’t cut corners.

‘In that atmosphere, you create what’s about to come.

‘You can have nice meetings and tell them how hard we’ve got to work.

‘You’ve got to be mentally strong and they’re well prepared for what’s coming.’

Exact details of Pompey’s proposed trips to Portugal and Ireland will be confirmed at a later date.