'I don't see him there': Danny Cowley pinpoints Haji Mnoga's perfect Portsmouth playing position

Since the youngster’s October 2018 debut, 10 of his 12 Pompey starts have arrived at right-back.

Certainly Kenny Jackett felt the 20-year-old was best suited to that role, while he has twice featured for Tanzania since March in the position.

In contrast, Cowley last season started Mnoga at centre-half in a Papa John’s Trophy defeat at AFC Wimbledon, while even as a central midfielder in the same competition against Sutton United.

In turn, the home-grown lad has been named as a central defender in all four of Pompey’s pre-season friendlies so far.

And Cowley is convinced that represents his footballing destiny rather than right-back.

He told The News: ‘We are monitoring Haji.

‘We’ll continue to work with him and make the right plan for him. We’re hoping that he’ll break through this pre-season - and, if he does, that will be great.

‘If we just feel he needs another loan, then we’re going to invest in him and do that.

‘I think Haji is a centre-half, he plays right centre-half in a back four or right of a back three.

‘I don’t see him as a right-back, even though he has the athleticism to play there.

‘I’m not saying he’ll never play there because I think it’s a position he can play, but, for him to play at this level and beyond, I see centre-half for him.’

On Tuesday afternoon, Mnoga featured for 86 minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Championship club Bristol City.

He was one of Pompey’s more outstanding performers in the goalless draw over 120 minutes at the Robins High Performance Centre.

And Cowley was delighted with the display of the defender, who spent last season on loan at Bromley and then Weymouth, flourishing in the latter stint.

The Blues’ head coach added: ‘It was great for Haji to play in the first group against Bristol City, I thought he did really, really well.

‘There was one lapse of concentration on 75 minutes, after the team had swapped. He fell out of concentration and made a little mistake – but rectified that with his athleticism.

‘He’s at that stage where he’s so athletic that if you get it wrong he can put it right quite quickly.

‘But, as you go through the levels, that’s obviously harder to do.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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