Danny Cowley delivers verdict on Portsmouth January transfer window dealings amid midfielder frustration

The Blues have received supporter criticism over their January business, with only Aiden O’Brien arriving on low-key deadline day.

His recruitment helps offset eight departures during the window, of which five have been permanent farewells.

Nonetheless, the playing squad now appears worryingly low at 20 members, following the purge of unwanted high-earning first-teamers.

Still, Cowley welcomed Hayden Carter, Tyler Walker, Ollie Webber, Denver Hume and, of course, O’Brien to Fratton Park last month.

And he’s ‘pleased’ with the calibre of player he and his recruitment team have managed to enlist during a tough month’s search.

Pompey’s head coach told The News: ‘I think we’ve made some steps in the right direction.

‘We are going to be a small squad – 20 players – and everyone gets an opportunity to contribute.

‘I am pleased with the players we have brought in. The results haven’t reflected that, so it’s very difficult for me to shout it from the rooftops, which you can understand.

‘But I do know that, over time, they are good players and I am sure they will prove that.

‘Not in terms of numbers, but I think this was a process which we needed to go through in order to get better long-term.

‘We think we have the quality we need.’

Those who left the Blues permanently last month are John Marquis, Ellis Harrison and Lee Brown, while Miguel Azeez and Gassan Ahadme returned to their parent clubs.

In addition, Paul Downing, Alex Bass and Haji Mnoga have been loaned out for regular first-team football.

Although in the case of Downing, he doesn’t possess a Fratton future and his contract will not be renewed when it expires this summer.

Certainly Pompey have been financially boosted by managing to move on top earner John Marquis, while Harrison also earned a substantial wage.

The benefit of such savings will now not be felt until the summer transfer window after football’s business was concluded on Monday at 11pm.

In addition to ex-Sunderland forward O’Brien, Cowley was keen on adding another central midfielder to his squad.

Pompey’s head coach had shown interest in Rotherham’s Jamie Lindsay, while moves for Middlesbrough’s Lewis Wing fell through, with Wycombe instead snapping him up.

The frustration was evident when Cowley conducted post-match duties following Monday night’s 2-1 defeat to Charlton at Fratton Park.

Particularly considering Shaun Williams was taken to hospital in a wheelchair with back concerns, potentially weakening his midfield options – and reduced squad – further.

He added: ‘We would like to have brought a midfielder in, but it wasn’t possible.

‘We were close, but not close enough.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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