Player positivity impresses Portsmouth boss Kenny Jackett as he insists there'll be no play-off hangover

And he insisted there was a ‘great deal of energy and positivity’ around the training ground as the Blues got to work on their preparation for another tough season.

Pompey’s fourth successive campaign in League One will commence on Saturday, September 12 – although no fixtures have yet been released.

That gives them just less than six weeks to prepare for the new term – more than enough time to put the disappointment of their last outing to bed.

Back on July 6, the Blues exited the 2019-20 League One play-offs on penalties against Oxford, after their tight two-legged affair ended 2-2.

That was the second time in as many years that Pompey fell short in the end-of-season match-up, with Sunderland proving victorious at the same stage the year season.

There were elements of a Black Cats hangover when the Blues got last tern under way.

They ultimately paid the price for that as Jackett & Co watched on to see Coventry and Rotherham seal automatic promotion ahead of them.

However, the manager insisted history will not repeat itself this term – despite the recent frustrations at Oxford’s Kassam Stadium.

He welcomed the attitude shown by his players on their return to training yesterday after a short break.

And as he focused on the challenges that lie in wait, Jackett said preparations over the next month and a bit will ensure the team hit the ground running next season.

Jackett told the club website: We have six weeks before the first game of the season and then it’s going to be very intense.

‘It’s going to be full-on, but that’s something that we’re used to and we’re durable enough to be able to compete.

‘We have to get this period right, so we’re able to hit the ground running when the games start coming.

‘You never do know which way it’s going to go. As ever, all you’ve really got to do is get yourselves right.

‘Every season will have strong sides and then you’ll also have surprises – who would have thought that Sunderland, Ipswich and Peterborough wouldn’t get into the top six?

‘We’ve had a good degree of consistency, only to fall at the last hurdle in the past two seasons in some tight play-off games.

‘We haven’t done too much wrong in that time. Ultimately, we want to go one better and there won’t be a hangover.

‘There’s a great deal of energy and positivity around the training ground and that’s really good to see.’

Jackett's squad options were boost yesterday with news that both Lee Brown and Sean Raggett had penned two year deals with the club.