John Mousinho's journey to Portsmouth head coach and what he's previously said about taking the next step in 17-year career

It’s been the 36-year-old’s primary objective in recent years – even stemming before his move to Oxford United from Burton in 2017.

Indeed, prior to his switch to the Kassam Stadium – where he made more than 150 appearances – the defender was working towards his UEFA A licence during his three-and-a-bit seasons with the Brewers.

The former Brentford, Wycombe, Gillingham and Stevenage centre-half also spent time coaching the youth teams at the Pirelli Stadium, before U’s boss Karl Robinson handed the ‘deep thinker’ a role within his coaching set-up as his 17-year playing career approached its twilight years.

That’s seen Mousinho become a regular fixture on the Oxford touchline as his playing opportunities have become less frequent in recent seasons.

Last term the centre-back featured just 11 times for the U’s following knee surgery.

Meanwhile, this season has seen just eight first-team appearances in all competitions. The centre-back’s last game to date was Oxford’s 2-1 win against Woking in the second round of the FA Cup, with his last league appearance coming as an 89th-minute substitute against Shrewsbury the week before.

Yet as minutes of the pitch have dried up, he’s been substituting that regular game time with shifts on the training pitch, focusing on set-pieces with the U’s, and offering his assistance on match-days to Robinson and his No2, Craig Short.

It’s all been geared up to get the experience needed to make the next step up in the world of coaching – one that is easier with that UEFA A licence now firmly in the bag.

Speaking to BBC Radio Oxford’s Five Minute Fans Forum in October and before his upcoming Pompey appointment, Mousinho admitted he didn’t feel he was fully ready to make the leap into full-time management at that stage of his career.

However, he said he was prepared to take the chance and was excited at the possibilities that lay ahead in next chapter of his footballing career.

‘When will I feel I’ll be ready? I feel ready in a way now,’ Mousinho said before Halloween.

‘I don’t think I’m ever going to be fully ready, I don’t think anyone ever is going into any job.

‘I’ve done as much preparation as I can, and I speak to the manager quite often about this.

‘One of the things he’s been brilliant with me in terms of supporting me on that journey and progression, is the fact he says "you have got everything on paper, it’s just about getting the experience now”.

‘We’ll have to see on that, I think I’ve been pretty open.

‘I’ve been working closely with the manager here, which is brilliant and I feel very lucky to be able to do that.

‘I’m not entirely sure on timescales, and when I would ever properly feel ready but certainly I think an exciting (is) chapter coming up.’