Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley provides update on academy youngsters’ futures

Danny Cowley has revealed an announcement is imminent on the future of one of his academy hopefuls.
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It comes after a Pompey XI, comprising of youth figures, progressed to the quarter-finals of Hampshire Senior Cup after beating AFC Stoneham on penalties.

The Fratton chief explained how ‘good news’ regarding contract talks with a Blues starlet is on the horizon.

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But the 43-year-old remained tight-lipped on the player in question, despite 17-year-old Harry Jewitt-White being on the bench for Tuesday night’s win against Burton and Dan Gifford impressing for Bognor this term.

Cowley told The News: ‘I think with our young players, it’s a process. They have a meeting every six weeks with our academy staff.

‘Our academy staff will be quite clear in terms of their progress and their performance, because what we don’t want is to have one conversation at the end of the season which becomes either a good or bad surprise. So it should never be that way.

‘If the process is right, which I know it is in our academy, then those meetings will be in place and the players will have constant targets that they’re working towards.

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‘Certainly, I believe maybe in the next couple of days we’ll have some good news about one player. Moving forward we have some decisions to make, that’s for sure.’

Danny Cowley has revealed an announcement is imminent on the future of one of his academy hopefuls. Picture Stuart MartinDanny Cowley has revealed an announcement is imminent on the future of one of his academy hopefuls. Picture Stuart Martin
Danny Cowley has revealed an announcement is imminent on the future of one of his academy hopefuls. Picture Stuart Martin

Pompey’s youngsters performed valiantly against senior opposition in Stoneham on Wednesday night.

And they impressed the Blues head coach enough for him to pass on his adulation in the changing room at full-time.

Cowley continued: ‘I just went into the changing room and congratulated them.

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‘I also spoke to those associated with AFC Stoneham, and I was really impressed with them as a football club.

‘They have some fantastic facilities and some really great people, and it was nice to meet them in person, share a cup of tea and talk football.

‘These are all good partnerships and relationships for us as a football club.’

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