Ireland trip '˜perfect' for Pompey's preparations

Shortly after Kenny Jackett's arrival as boss last summer, he decided his new side would not be leaving their Roko training base for pre-season. 

This was mainly down to Paul Cook's departure to Wigan, which caused a rethink. 

Fast forward a year, following the Blues' eighth-place finish in League One, and Jackett is hungry to continue his troops' progress with a pre-season training camp in Ireland.

The Blues last visited the Emerald Isle in 2016. 

The purpose was to integrate new members of the squad with those who had suffered play-off semi-final heartache at Plymouth.

Of course, it was also used to build up fitness levels and ramp up preparations for the new campaign with friendlies against Bohemians and Sligo. 

Nine months later, the Blues finally escaped the basement tier of the Football League with the League Two crown to boot. 

A return trip to Ireland under Jackett is pure coincidence, totally his decision - but it's very easy to see the similarities.

Knowing the manager's character, meticulous research would have been conducted to decide on their Cork base.

The game against the current League of Ireland leaders will also have been carefully considered, representing a stern test for a new-look squad which will include new-boys Craig MacGillivray, Lee Brown, Ronan Curtis, Louis Dennis and Tom Naylor.

As mentioned, a trip away of this nature is a good way to embed some of the new faces into the squad, develop a togetherness and forge understandings both on and off the pitch.

Personally, I have never been a fan of Premier League teams venturing to places like China, Japan, the US or the Middle East in search of a quick payday.

It was this route I was desperate for us to avoid.

So, for me, Ireland seems the perfect choice.

Especially given our recent history after heading to our friends across the water.