How new Portsmouth boss highlights trend sweeping English football with Ipswich Town, Plymouth Argyle, Wigan Athletic, Luton Town & Co

John Mousinho was unveiled by Pompey in January.

The man at the helm of the Tractor Boys has lauded the developing pattern of untried up-and-coming bosses getting their chances at senior level.

John Mousinho was unveiled by the Blues last month after an 18-day search for Danny Cowley’s successor.

His appointment represented a new route for Michael Eisner and his board, opting to venture into the unknown with an unproven manager.

While Mousinho was part of Karl Robinson’s coaching staff at Oxford United, he had no previous experience as a head coach and in fact has played eight times in League One this term.

It appears to be a gamble which is paying off in the early stages, with the new Blues boss overseeing two wins, a draw and a loss in his first four games in charge.

He became the latest figure to take their first steps into management in League One, joining the likes of McKenna, Plymouth’s Steven Schumacher and Forest Green’s Duncan Ferguson.

And that is something that caught the eye of McKenna, who has been impressed with the new wave of bosses in the EFL.

‘It’s a really positive sign,’ he said.

‘There’s some really good young managers in our league League One at the moment, it’s the same in the Championship and in League Two.

‘There’s some fantastic best practice going on throughout the English game and in the academies and at different levels.

‘To see more young coaches coming through and getting the opportunities in the senior game can only benefit the whole of English football. It’s a good sign.

‘Of course there are fantastic older managers as well - it’s just great to see the development of the game in England at all levels, which is going from strength to strength.’

McKenna has been one of the success stories over the past year, making the swift transition from a coach at Manchester United to first-team boss at Ipswich.

His attractive brand of football at Portman Road had seen him linked with a switch to Premier League side Brighton earlier in the campaign.

Plymouth head coach Schumacher has been another who made the step up from a number two to head coach.

After missing out on the play-offs on the final day last season, he’s helped the Pilgrims climb to second-place in League One.