Kenny Jackett took the heat off Portsmouth players - now Ellis Harrison is determined to repay him

Now Ellis Harrison insists the Blues are determined to repay the boss with League One promotion.

Plenty of supporters clamoured for Jackett to be sacked after Pompey picked up just two points in their opening three league games.

While the boss still has his detractors, three successive victories have quelled those calls somewhat.

Harrison appreciated how Jackett was happy for the fan flak to be directed at him rather than his troops.

The striker doubts whether some other managers would do the same.

And with Jackett’s main task this term to lead Pompey back to the Championship, Harrison feels he’s the right man for the job.

The Welshman said: ‘The manager has been in charge of so many games. He's not new to it.

‘He's not new to praise nor is he new to any abuse. He's thick-skinned and takes a lot of pressure off us a lot of the time – and he's fine with that.

‘He wants us to do well, he wants the club to do well. He would rather take stick himself than us take the stick on a Saturday.

‘If we win, we show him that we appreciate that. When we play bad, he's not running around for us. It's us playing badly and that's why he's a good manager.

‘A lot of managers would come out in the press, let us take the heat and blame us.

‘If we do need blaming sometimes then blame us, but he doesn't do that and that's why he's a good manager.

‘You appreciate that because you know he's got your back and that's why you work extra hard for someone like that.

‘If he comes out and criticises you think "well, he's not going to protect me so I'm not going to protect him".’

Against the backdrop of last season's play-off defeat to Oxford, Pompey's opening to this term couldn't have gone much worse.

Following the meek 2-1 loss to Wigan last month, there were some who suggested the players were no longer trying for Jackett.

Harrison poured cold water on that notion, however, and stressed it wasn't the case.

He added: ‘We work hard for him, each other and the fans. Our work-rate is in the league is right up there.

‘We're all working for each other as a club and that's what we need to be promoted.

‘Some days it doesn't go for you like against Wigan but it's not down to work-rate. The boys were still putting all their effort in.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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