'People don't really know Ronan Curtis, he has a good heart' - Portsmouth boss on why Cardiff and Blackburn target will not down tools during Championship wait

Ronan Curtis’ desire for Championship football will not distract his Pompey focus.
Danny Cowley believes Ronan Curtis' Pompey focus will not be affected by his desire to move to the Championship. Picture: Joe PeplerDanny Cowley believes Ronan Curtis' Pompey focus will not be affected by his desire to move to the Championship. Picture: Joe Pepler
Danny Cowley believes Ronan Curtis' Pompey focus will not be affected by his desire to move to the Championship. Picture: Joe Pepler

That’s the verdict of Danny Cowley who is convinced the winger will knuckle down and continue giving his all for the Blues upon his training return.

Curtis will link up with his Pompey team-mates on Thursday, having been given additional time off after representing the Republic of Ireland earlier this month.

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Since the end of last season, the 25-year-old’s family and representatives have made it clear he wishes to test himself in the Championship following three Fratton Park seasons.

Certainly the Blues are prepared to cash in on their prized asset should a bid prove tempting enough.

In the meantime, Cowley is adamant there'll be no downing of tools from a player he admits he has misjudged.

The Blues head coach told The News: ‘We’ve had really good conversations throughout the summer, Ronan knows what he’s doing.

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‘He’s going to own the situation, he’s going to put all his energy and focus into what he can affect – and what he can affect is being the very best version of himself.

‘Ronan’s going to hit the ground running, play outstandingly well through pre-season. He’s going to start the season for Pompey and do brilliantly well – and off the back of that we’ll see what happens.

‘Ronan loves football, he’s a great kid, he’s got a big heart. Sometimes I think the people of Portsmouth don’t really know him.

‘I’ve said to Ronan that when I first came in I had a certain perception of what he was like as a boy. I was actually really wrong.

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‘He’s got a big heart, he’s got a good heart, and he’s an incredible competitor. He’s one of those that when a game goes into a lull, he can grab it by the scruff of the neck on personality alone.

‘Ronan’s an emotional boy, he wears his heart on his sleeve, sometimes he makes the wrong calls, he makes some decisions that if he was less emotional he wouldn’t make.

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‘And the great thing about Ronan is if he’s wrong, he’ll tell you he’s wrong. He holds his hands up.

‘If he wasn’t a good guy, I wouldn’t back him. I wouldn’t – but he’s a good kid.

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‘He sometimes gets a hard time, but he shouldn’t because he has been brilliant for this football club.’

Curtis has scored 40 goals in 142 appearances since arriving at Pompey in the summer of 2018.

That form has alerted Championship pair Cardiff and Blackburn, while Reading have also previously shown interest.

Cowley added: ‘You don’t want to sell any of your best players, ever.

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‘But, for someone like Ronan, we are the type of coaches that always want to better our players.

‘We don’t tend to stand in the way of our players. You can’t help them with one hand and pull them back with the other.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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