Pompey duo defy boss '“ but it's all smiles

The Blues boss handed his squad two days off following Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with Morecambe.

Pompey are currently entrenched in a hectic period of fixtures, while didn’t return from Carlisle until the early hours of Sunday morning.

Yet rather than taking advantage of time off, Doyle and Roberts instead today popped into the club’s Copnor Road training ground to hone their shooting skills.

Assistant manager Leam Richardson and Academy keeper Nick Hall were also involved in the extra training for the pair.

They were among 14 players who turned up, albeit the majority squad players and substitutes.

And Cook was delighted with the pair’s attitude.

He said: ‘There is a lovely appetite among our group and that does show.

‘We tried to give them two days off. There’s a lot of trust between the players and us and has been a lot of travelling with Carlisle and playing Tuesdays.

‘I am into freshness and if you are in every day, even watching DVDs of matches, there is pressure, so keeping the lads away from the club is good.

‘I don’t want them to feel it, I want them to feel the pressure to play well.

‘I nigh-on gave the club a two-day shut down, but 14 players came in – that speaks volumes.

‘Eoin Doyle was doing finishing for confidence and Gary was also involved.

‘That really is fantastic. Mind you, me and Leam were off to play golf today so that had to be scrapped!

‘We had to work when we didn’t want to, which is ridiculous!’