‘I think I can have those conversations with him’: How new Portsmouth boss can help further injury woe for ex-Wigan Athletic, Derby County and Wolves man

And the Pompey talisman believes new boss John Mousinho’s open-door policy can be a key asset in keeping him out of the treatment room moving forward.

Jacobs is building momentum after his return to the fray in December after nearly two months out with a hamstring injury.

The 31-year-old believes he is returning to the kind of form which made him a key figure over the second half of last season, amid a powerful resurgence for Danny Cowley’s side.

The challenge for Jacobs is to now stay out of the treatment room and help Pompey to a strong run of form, as he did 12 months ago.

A hallmark of Mousinho’s early tenure is to have an open dialogue with his men and act in a relatable manner, something the new head coach believes can be aided by so recently being a player himself.

A consideration for Jacobs will be when he needs to put the brakes on, to avoid a recurrence of the problems which have often hindered him in his three years at Pompey.

The former Wolves, Derby and Wigan man is confident that is something he will be able to do with Mousinho, with the Pompey making it clear he will deal with his squad’s issues on a personal level.

Jacobs said: ‘The first thing the new boss said when he walked through the door was if you need to see me or come and have a chat, I’m open to talking.

‘He was playing two minutes ago, so I think I’ll be able to have those conversations with him.

‘That makes life a lot easier in terms of being able to have a dialogue with him.

‘He’s been really open and good so far.

‘He’s very relatable, because he was in that situation not that long ago.

‘He knows the score for the boys who are playing, and he knows the score for the boys out of the team or coming back from injury.

‘It’s a nice thing to have. To be able to relate so well is a good thing for him to have.’