Breaking: award-winning Portsmouth medical team exit after hitting back at criticism in Danny Cowley’s reign

The award-winning set-up, comprising head physio Bobby Bacic, head of sports science Jeff Lewis and first-team physio Jack Hughes have all departed from Fratton Park.

It comes after the team, led by Bacic, produced a detailed riposte to questions over their credentials following an injury-hit 2022-23 campaign at Fratton Park.

Cowley often cut a frustrated figure over the issues mounting up in interviews, without ever explicitly pointing the finger at the cause of the problems.

In a detailed interview with The News in April, however, the team used data to highlight how the first team went from minimal issues in a 62-game 2018-19 campaign under Kenny Jackett to injuries later spiking in training under Cowley in successive terms.

It’s understood the club launched an internal investigation over the article, with the team who were honoured at the Football Medicine & Performance Association Awards in 2019 now leaving PO4.

Hughes’ departure was already in place on his terms as he enjoyed an exciting summer away with the England under-17 set-up, before being due to take up a position with a massive Premier League club.

Bacic has been quickly snapped up by League Two side AFC Wimbledon, while Lewis’ standings in his field means he’s unlikely to be short of offers.

Pompey are currently in Spain on their pre-season training camp and are due to face Gibraltarian side Europa FC on Thursday night.

They will meet up with Bacic again as they go to Plough Lane to face AFC Wimbledon on July 25. That comes amid games against Bognor, Gosport, Hawks and Bristol City, with an in-house match also on the timetable.

Pompey’s League One campaign begins at home to Bristol Rovers on August 5.