Danny Cowley delivers message to out-of-contract players as he reveals hope for HIS Portsmouth future

And the Blues head coach admitted he finds himself in the same boat as his men when it comes to proving they deserve to be at Fratton Park, as he stated a hope to be at the club moving forward.

There are 11 senior players whose deals are up at the end of the campaign, with most significantly skipper Tom Naylor, Jack Whatmough, Ben Close, Andy Cannon, Craig MacGillvray, Haji Mnoga and Ryan Williams becoming free agents.

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Pompey are maintaining a policy of putting discussions on hold until there’s clarity over what division they are playing in, as they battle through the £700,000 monthly losses created by the coronavirus pandemic.

Cowley’s own deal only runs until the summer, and the 42-year-old believes the key lies for both himself and the players in taking the correct steps to ensure there’s an outcome which affords them security for their futures.

He said: ‘We’ve got a good group who are fighting for each other.

‘While human beings would like clarity, I think we’re all in it together and fighting hard.

‘We’re all human beings and want to know what’s coming next in an ideal world.

‘But we are also respectful this is a brilliant football club, and sometimes you have to fight for what you want.

‘The players are really focussed and are fighting for what they want.

‘We would all love to be at this football club next year, and we as a collective group are fighting hard to prove we’re the right people to help this club move forward.

‘If you become outcome oriented and don’t get the process right, you won’t get the outcome you want.

‘So let’s put all of our energies into the process, let’s focus on that.

‘If we get that right, the outcomes hopefully for all of us will take care of themselves.’

Cowley insisted he had no problem with Cannon’s outspoken views on securing the futures of the Blues’ key out of contract players, after he spoke to The News this week.

Pompey hold options on the majority of the players whose deals are up, although that’s not the case with Whatmough and Naylor.

Cowley could see how the midfielder was speaking out in support of his team-mates.

He said: ‘I talk to Andy on a daily basis so I tend to not look at his interviews, but he’s a good kid.

‘All of us in professional football when you are interviewed after the game when the energy. levels are high, sometimes you can say things or they can be misconstrued because you’re not in your calmest moment.

‘It happens, particularly players whereas managers are used to playing it with a straight bat and blocking a few.

‘He made his point, and if he’d had his time again maybe he would’ve articulated it in a slightly different way.

‘You have to love Andy because he’s going to say what he thinks, isn’t he.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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