'It wasn't something...' - Former Portsmouth, Sheffield United and Coventry midfielder Michael Doyle makes Fratton Park assistant head coach admission

Michael Doyle led Pompey to League Two title glory at the end of the 2016-17 season Picture: Joe Pepler

The 41-year-old Irishman – who led the Blues to the 2016-17 League Two title – is currently out of work, having left his role as assistant head coach at Forest Green Rovers last month.

However, he said an emotional Fratton Park reunion was not in his thinking, despite the recent vacancy at his former stomping ground.

Former Pompey player and experienced Chelsea Academy coach Jon Harley was appointed to the role on Thursday and took his place in the Blues dugout for today’s game at Lincoln.

Doyle was also present at Sincil Bank as he was BBC Solent’s guest pundit for the League One encounter.

And when asked about the No2 role, he said: ‘It’s not something I put my name in for.

‘Obviously, the club were looking for someone with a bit more experience so it wasn’t something I was looking for.

‘I think most importantly for John, he’s got someone that he knows. He obviously built a bit of a relationship with Jon Harley (doing the Pro Licence together) and I think that’s important for any manager going in – that they’ve got staff that they feel they can trust and have the same sort of philosophies and ideas as what they have.’

Pompey took their time in naming an assistant for Mousinho, with Harley’s appointment coming four weeks after his own Fratton Park arrival.

But Doyle understood why the process took so long.

He added: ‘Let’s not beat around the bush. This is a massive opportunity for John.

‘It’s one he probably didn’t expect to get so early in his career.

‘He’ll probably have been a little but thrown about what he’ll have wanted to do because he probably had people in mind had he taken a job lower down.

‘But I think when you get a job like Portsmouth, I’m sure it makes you think about what you’re going to do when every decision that you make is always being scrutinised. So you make sure you get those decisions right as that’s what you’re going to be judged on down the line.’

Doyle made 96 appearances for the Blues during his two seasons with the club.

Since his retirement, the former Sheffield United and Coventry midfielder had held coach roles at both Notts County and Forest Green.