'In the top five I've ever come across': Ex-Portsmouth boss' gushing praise for Fratton Park favourite

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Danny Cowley has credited a former Pompey favourite with possessing one of the ‘top-five’ footballing mindsets he has ever come across.

The ex-Blues boss has managed for more than 800 matches, involving eight of the top nine divisions, including a 21-month stay at Fratton Park, and is now at Colchester.

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His south-coast tenure represented a reunion with Sean Raggett, with the pair previously working together at Lincoln, where the central defender famously scored against Burnley in the FA Cup.

Indeed, it was Cowley who handed Raggett a new Pompey deal in May 2022 after being crowned The News/Sports Mail Player Of The Season.

Ex-Pompey head coach Danny Cowley has praised 'born winner' Sean Raggett - the player he managed at two different clubs. Picture: Jason Brown/ProSportsImagesEx-Pompey head coach Danny Cowley has praised 'born winner' Sean Raggett - the player he managed at two different clubs. Picture: Jason Brown/ProSportsImages
Ex-Pompey head coach Danny Cowley has praised 'born winner' Sean Raggett - the player he managed at two different clubs. Picture: Jason Brown/ProSportsImages | Picture: Jason Brown/ProSportsImages

The former Norwich man ended his five-year stay last month with a free transfer switch to Rotherham - and Cowley has applauded the ‘born winner’.

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He told The News: ‘Sean is a brilliant boy, always fit, and even when he’s not fit he’s still available.

‘He puts his body on the line, he would run through a brick wall, and willingly put his head in front of a bus to win a game of football, he’s got an unbelievable mindset.

‘When I think of all the players I managed over 800-plus games, he’s in the top five in terms of mentality, for sure. He’s a diamond.

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‘He’s not easy on the training ground because he wants to win so much. He moans and argues about decisions, but all for the right reasons. He’s a winner and being a winner means there’s no switch you can put on at 3pm on a Saturday and off at 4.45pm. It’s a 24/7 thing - a born winner.

‘Sean is so robust, so reliable and so consistent. Sometimes when you work with these players close up you truly know how good they are. You also know the effect they can have on others around them.

‘That winning mentality he possesses is infectious - and so it has proven for Pompey.’

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The Fratton faithful admired Raggett’s resilience and ability to bounce back from notable Pompey set-backs during his stay.

That included last season, when he took advantage of injuries to rivals Regan Poole and Tom McIntyre to establish himself as a pivotal member of the League One title-winning side under John Mousinho.

Cowley added: ‘I know Sean divides opinion and I don’t think he should because he is an outstanding player. He’s an incredible competitor, brilliant in both boxes and a much better footballer than people give him credit for.

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‘In this day and age it’s all about aesthetics with people, but sometimes it's about getting a job done and he is an incredibly effective and powerful player at League One level.

‘How many managers do you hear talk about the game being won in both boxes? Well Sean Raggett is absolutely superb in both boxes.

‘We worked really hard with Sean in that area and John Mousinho, Jon Harley and Zesh Rehman also deserve a lot of credit because he continues to improve.

‘But really the person who deserves the most credit is Sean, because he works so hard at his game.’

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