Kenny Jackett speaks for first time on health scare and difficulty of back-seat Portsmouth role

The Blues boss is expected to return to front-line management this weekend against Gillingham, after undergoing surgery following a health scare.

Jackett had an operation to remove a mole from his forearm last Thursday, prompting concerns for his well-being.

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The procedure was a success, although there was surprise to see the 59-year-old present for the defeat to Blackpool last week with an expected absence of two weeks.

Jackett did miss the meeting with Bristol Rovers last Tuesday, however, as part of preparation for the surgery, forcing him to liaise with assistant manager Joe Gallen as he watched the game at home.

The difficulties that presented in exerting his influence on proceedings was maddening for the Pompey boss, although he felt the communication improved with his presence in the stands for the win at Oxford United.

Speaking for the first time since surgery, Jackett said: ‘I thought we got it better on Tuesday than we did before.

‘Bristol Rovers was just incredibly frustrating and watching it on iFollow was something you have to get used to.

‘I don’t think that was easy at all.

‘It’s much easier to be able to sit at the back of a stand with a phone and talk there.

‘From that point of view, we got it better as the games went on.

‘The one that was really frustrating was Bristol Rovers, basically because I was self-isolating to go into hospital.

‘It’s a strange one, but we negotiated it.

‘I wouldn’t say it wasn’t frustrating though, because it was at Bristol Rovers.’

Jackett is due to be fully involved this weekend against Gillingham, just nine days on from surgery.

After being at the two previous games, it’s the kind of level of involvement few expected given the recommended two-week time frame for recovery.

Jackett added: ‘They say you need to see how you feel after the op. Projecting how long it will be before the op was quite hard.

‘You can only give an assessment of ’it’s recommended you’re supposed to be off for this long’.

‘Then it’s very much how the arm looks and how you feel. That’s how it’s been.’

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