Portsmouth boss on why 'excellent' Blackpool ex-loanee would thrive in current Blues team

John Mousinho is convinced Owen Dale would have thrived in the current Pompey team.

Although the head coach admits he never pushed to bring the loanee back to Fratton Park on account of expecting him to become a Blackpool regular.

Dale will be handed a Blues reunion on Saturday as the Tangerines visit the League One leaders.

During a season-long loan with Pompey last term, he made 50 appearances and impressed supporters with his energy, enthusiasm and commitment.

Crucially, however, the right-sided winger scored just twice in that period, while weighed in with three assists.

Nonetheless, Mousinho believes the former Crewe man would flourish in the new-look side which presently tops the table.

He told The News: ‘I thought Owen was excellent when he was here, although slightly unlucky in terms of his total output, which was always the thing.

‘He spoke about it when he left, the goals and assists were the one thing which disappointed him about his time here because he put in a huge amount of work every week. His work-rate was right up there, he created some really good-quality moments.

‘It was not for lack of quality, we know he’s a good player because we saw him day in, day out in training, with his finishing, his crossing is good. When he got going he was brilliant.

‘Owen was actually probably a victim of the fact we didn’t get enough bodies into the box in certain games, in particular towards the back end of last season.

‘Whereas a real focus this year is to try to get more people on the end of crosses when we put the ball into the box - and I think he would have done better in this current side.

‘A lot of players have improved from last year and I’m sure Owen would have been one of those.

‘The fact he is now back at Blackpool, a side which wants to compete at the top end of this league, and is playing games tells me he has improved his role - and it’s no surprise.

‘From day one under me he was excellent, he works incredibly hard, is a really, really good young player, and has a great future in the game.’

Dale has made 18 appearances this season for the eighth-placed side, with one goal and two assists.

Although it is as a left wing-back where he is currently being utilised by boss Neil Critchley.

Mousinho added: ‘I said when he left that if Blackpool went down then they would keep him, he was going to feature at this level - and he has done.

‘We didn’t go back in for him because, at the point Blackpool were relegated, we knew he would be part of their plans. It’s no surprise he is now featuring in a League One side doing well.

‘He was part of the side which beat Shrewsbury 4-0 last week, playing in a different position at left wing-back, and we expect to see him feature on Saturday. We know he’s a real threat.’