Kenny Jackett: I'm putting myself under pressure to turnaround stuttering Portsmouth

Kenny Jackett shrugged off suggestions he is under pressure and insisted: I put pressure on myself.
Kenny Jackett's Pompey head to Wycombe on Saturday with just six points from six games. Picture: Joe PeplerKenny Jackett's Pompey head to Wycombe on Saturday with just six points from six games. Picture: Joe Pepler
Kenny Jackett's Pompey head to Wycombe on Saturday with just six points from six games. Picture: Joe Pepler

The 57-year-old is currently enduring the most difficult spell of a Pompey stay approaching two-and-a-half years.

Jackett has led the Blues to the League One play-off semi-finals, claimed the Checkatrade Trophy and registered 63 wins in 125 matches in all competitions as manager.

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Yet Pompey are currently 18th in the table following a disappointing return of six points from six league matches.

After a laboured last-gasp draw against 10-man Burton on Tuesday night, the Fratton faithful made their feelings known through booing.

The Blues next head to third-placed Wycombe on Saturday – and a positive result is essential to ease the Fratton frustration.

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Jackett said: ‘Whatever position you are in in the league, you have to win your next game in professional football.

Kenny Jackett's Pompey head to Wycombe on Saturday with just six points from six games. Picture: Joe PeplerKenny Jackett's Pompey head to Wycombe on Saturday with just six points from six games. Picture: Joe Pepler
Kenny Jackett's Pompey head to Wycombe on Saturday with just six points from six games. Picture: Joe Pepler

‘If you are top, you want to keep it going and not fall away – or you’re where we are, which is 18th, and you need a win.

‘Whether I am under pressure is for you guys to assess, all of my focus is on the Wycombe game.

'The games come up pretty quick as well, there's Southampton and Bolton after that. While you are at a club like Portsmouth, obviously there’s pressure.

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‘You put pressure on yourself, pressure is where you want to be, I want to be trying to compete at the top of this particular league – and I’m not at the moment.

‘That can be frustrating and, if you are looking at the last two seasons, we’ve been there or thereabouts in terms of competing with sides. If you are looking at the league now, we are not.

‘We have games in hand, yes, it’s early season, yes, but also we haven’t the points total we want. We have to work hard to do something about that.’

Following the opening two matches of last season, Pompey were never outside League One’s top four.

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This term they have started slowly and, impacted by three matches being called off, already find themselves lagging behind promotion rivals.

Jackett added: ‘Obviously, we are six games in and our league position is 18th, which is as low as we’ve been since returning to League One.

‘We need a win at Wycombe, a good win, and a convincing performance.

‘Our performances necessarily haven’t been as cohesive as last year, some of the better ones have been in the cups, but the league is our priority.

‘We must put in a convincing performance, we know we need to.’

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