Portsmouth admit summer plans in limbo as they wait for Football League go-ahead

However, Mark Catlin does not believe a tour outside the UK is realistic.

The Premier League and Football League are considering either August 29 or September 12 to open next season.

Such uncertainty has already hampered the Blues’ summer preparation, with the team unsure when there’ll be a training resumption.

Tentative proposals for a return to the Republic of Ireland face being shelved because of the circumstances created by coronavirus.

Jackett has previously taken Pompey to Cork and Dublin in recent pre-seasons, yet may now need to look far closer to home.

However, the Blues’ chief executive admitted that until a League One start is announced, planning is limited.

Catlin told The News: ‘Your pre-season is planned backwards from your first game of the season, so there’s a set schedule for those five weeks leading up to the opening match.

‘If you don’t know when that’s going to be, you can’t plan your pre-season at the moment.

‘Ireland is a possibility, it has been popular with us in the past.

‘However, we are still in the throes of the covid pandemic and you must look at maybe staying somewhere in the UK at present.

‘These are considerations - but until we know the actual date when we start, it’s very difficult to start planning pre-season.

‘Pre-season is aligned with starting the new campaign, so we can’t book anything at the moment.’

Pompey were stationed at Fota Island, Cork, in the summer of 2018 amid preparations for Kenny Jackett’s second season in charge.

During that Republic of Ireland stay, they beat Cork City 4-1 in a friendly, with a sizeable Blues contingent among the crowd of 965, catching a first glimpse of new recruit Ronan Curtis.

Last summer, Pompey stayed at the Portmarnock Hotel, Dublin, for five days as part of their pre-season.

That also consisted of a friendly at UCD, with Pompey running out 11-0 winners. Goals came from Brett Pitman (three), Curtis (two), Louis Dennis (two), Jamal Lowe, Gareth Evans, Joe Hancott and Ben Close.

A return to Fota Island had been mooted for this summer.

Following the coronavirus crisis, however, it seems likely Pompey will be remaining within the UK.

Catlin added: ‘Whether it’s the end of August or mid-September, the weeks building up to those may be possibly even too hot to go to certain destinations.

‘There are varying options we can look at, but, given the current pandemic, I think a consideration is we have to stay in the UK this year.’

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