Danny Cowley pinpoints date when ex-Norwich man Louis Thompson can truly flourish for Portsmouth

The Blues have recruited the midfielder on a 12-month deal following his departure from Norwich.

Thompson’s career has been devastated by injury, restricting him to 110 appearances in the last seven years.

However, Cowley believes he can remodel the talented 26-year-old to cut out the injury problems and keep him on the pitch longer.

But he has warned a little patience is required before Thompson is ready to fully fire for the Blues.

Pompey’s head coach told The News: ‘Louis has had a really tough period.

‘My best friend (Ross Poynton) is a doctor in physiotherapy and sees top sportsmen across Europe. He works for us on a consultancy basis one day a week, which is perfect for me.

‘He has this unbelievable ability of looking at them, seeing how they move, and creating a training programme to get them on grass regularly.

‘Ross has met with Louis and there are some physiological issues. Louis believes in what we are going to do and how we’re going to organise his training, he has bought into that and is taking the long-term view for his career.

‘We think we know the answer, but it will take about six weeks to modify the way he recruits his muscles and modify the tissue to be able to start to see the benefits.

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‘This kid has the most unbelievable attitude, he trains incredibly hard, but he’s actually too strong and too powerful.

‘So we’ve got to increase his range, look at how he recruits his muscles, because, at the moment, a lot of it is recruited from his back expanses, which are incredibly strong.

‘His back is so strong and working against his hamstrings and his quads, picking up those injuries as a result.’

Pompey were keen to assess Thompson in training before deciding whether to offer him a contract, while also handed him a cameo in the friendly against Peterborough.

Former club Swindon had joined them in the running for a player who last month left Norwich by mutual consent.

Now Cowley is relishing the chance to utilise him in his Blues side.

He added: ‘Louis is a really good player, but is a big challenge.

‘However, it’s such a small amount of money signing him, I may as well take the risk.

‘To be fair to Louis, he is a great kid who just wants to get back playing.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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