Portsmouth boss admits to size of task he faces to make side a League One force against Charlton Athletic, Bristol Rovers, Lincoln City & Co

The Pompey boss underlined he doesn’t see any shortcuts to making his team a force in League One, as he sensed the palpable frustration among supporters.

Blues fans now know they will endure a SEVENTH season in the third tier next term, as their team come up short of achieving a place in the play-offs. With 13 players out of contract and sporting director, Rich Hughes, suggesting up to 10 new faces will be required, a busy period of player trading lies ahead.

Pompey fans have aired their angst at recent draws proving central to not finishing in the top six, but Mousinho feels some context is needed as he looks ahead to what’s on the horizon.

He said: ‘One thing that should be abundantly clear to everyone is this isn’t a short-term fix. It’s something we’ve all brought into as a long-term project.

‘I do remember, crystal clear, the first question I got at a supporters’ conference before the Exeter game (his first in charge). It was: “how are you going to get this club out of the relegation fight we’re in?”. So that clearly was where some people, and I’m not saying all, and their thoughts were.

‘At the time Oxford were a point ahead of us. I’m not saying it’s an achievement at all, but sometimes you need some context to what’s happened, certainly over the past couple of weeks. We need to just take it in the round, look at the positives for the season and then build again in the next pre-season.’

Pompey are a clear example of how easy it can be to become stuck at third-tier level, with two play-off finishes their best returns since winning League Two in 2017.

Others sizeable clubs have encountered similar issues, however, with Sunderland foundering at the same level for four campaigns before promotion last term. Meanwhile, Ipswich are also in their fourth League One campaign with Charlton spending six of their past seven seasons doing likewise.

Mousinho added: ‘I’m aware that Portsmouth fans are incredibly frustrated about being in League One. That’s fine and I get it. Very few clubs want to be in the league they are in when they are operating in the Football League. Portsmouth are one of those, this is not a club I’ve come into thinking this club should be operating in League One, but it’s really difficult to get out of the league.

‘You don’t just get out of the league because you think you should be, you have to work really hard and do the right things. You have to be sustainable and you have to try to do it the right way. We’re fully, fully aware of where everything is at the football club, we’re absolutely under no illusions.

‘So our priority will be in good time and the right way, as it’s been from the very start, to build something properly here and to make sure we get out of the league in the right way. ‘If and when we do and if and when we get into the Championship and everything is balanced and stable, not just financially but on the pitch and in terms of the squad that will be 100 per cent the focus.’