'It's about being a good team-mate': Meet Portsmouth boss' trusted lieutenant and pivotal dressing room presence

That changed on Saturday for Louis Thompson, whose attempts at being a ‘good team-mate’ has warranted early praise from the new head coach.

In the build up to Peterborough, Mousinho pinpointed the midfielder’s importance around the camp – then handed him his first start since August.

It’s a positive influence also noted by predecessor Danny Cowley, particularly when Thompson was sidelined with a broken leg.

And, for the ex-Norwich man, it’s all part of trying to drive a dressing room towards Blues success.

Thompson told The News: ‘It’s about being a good team-mate, ultimately. We all have that role of trying to get the best out of each other.

‘It’s a bit easier when you are on the outside looking in, rather than in the thick of things. I say what I see and the lads have responded well to it, it’s a collective to improve.

‘I’m 28 years old now and have played a fair bit of football, so I’m just trying to help younger ones in the group. We are all trying to achieve a common objective.

‘It has been a change in recent weeks. It has gone from what was the norm since I've been here to changes, so it’s about adjusting and trying to help the lads through that, improving where we can.

‘Senior pros have big personalities ultimately and it’s just trying to listen to what the manager wants and implementing that and to help people. We all succeed if the team succeeds.

‘I have just been myself. I’ve tried to give an honest opinion when asked and a positive energy.

‘In losing, it’s always easy to be quite negative and pick faults, but there is a lot to be positive about at the end of the day.

‘We are extremely fortunate to be in the positions that we’re in, in terms of being professional footballers and being supported the way we are by the fans.

‘We are all pulling in the right direction to try to achieve what we want to achieve – and that starts on the training pitch and finishes on a Saturday.’

Thompson featured for 58 minutes in the 2-1 defeat at Posh for his first start in more than five months.

And even when in rehab following his leg break, he admits he was finding time to be positive for others.

Thompson added: ‘The fans have deserved more and all I was trying to do when I was out (injured) was supporting the boys the best way that I could.

‘It’s positive energy and positive energy feeds into other people – and it gives you something, it gives you a bit more energy.

‘It allows you to find positives instead of feeling negative all the time. That’s what I do.’