Portsmouth pre-season training camp destination finally revealed - and it's a familiar place
The Blues have held pre-seasons in the Republic of Ireland during four of the last 11 years
The secret’s finally out at, tight lips have been loosened, Pompey’s training camp destination is revealed.
And it’s a familiar location, with the Blues opting to venture to the Republic of Ireland for the fourth time in 11 years.
Admittedly, this is the first occasion under John Mousinho that Pompey’s pre-season tour has been held in the Emerald Isle - and, overall, represents the club’s maiden visit since 2019.
Having kept the whereabouts of their week-long stay under wraps, it was a club social media post on Sunday night, accompanied by a video of the squad travelling, which announced the location via a Republic of Ireland flag emoji.
Publicly, however, the identity of their hotel and venue remains classified at this stage, although The News have been invited to attend on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Still, Ireland proved a popular and productive pre-season destination under Paul Cook and Kenny Jackett - and now Pompey have returned.
County Meath in July 2016
It was in July 2016 when Cook took his squad to the Johnstown Hotel in County Meath ahead of his second Fratton Park season.
The previous campaign had finished with the agony of elimination in the League Two play-off semi-finals at the hands of Plymouth, an exit cruelly sealed in stoppage time at Home Park.
Gareth Evans and Matt Clarke, who ended that campaign injured, weren’t even taken on the subsequent pre-season tour, which consisted of friendlies against Sligo Rovers and Bohemians, instead remaining at home to continue their rehabilitation.
However, newcomers Carl Baker, Danny Rose, Curtis Main, Drew Talbot, Milan Lalkovic and Ben Tollitt were all present as Cook integrated them into his existing playing squad.
As it turned out, the Blues would capture the League Two title that 2016-17 season on a dramatic final day against Cheltenham to finally kick-start the club’s long-desired resurgence.
Fota Island in July 2018
Jackett was at the helm two years later when Pompey returned to the Republic of Ireland, this time in Cork at the Fota Island Resort.
The five-star facilities had previously been used by the Republic of Ireland football team on occasions and also consisted of three Links golf courses, although the Blues manager wouldn’t let his squad play golf during their stay.
The tour consisted of a friendly at Cork City, allowing supporters the chance to catch a first glimpse of new signings Ronan Curtis, Lee Brown, Tom Naylor and Craig MacGillivray in action.
Pompey ran out 4-1 winners, through goals from Conor Chaplin (two), Jamal Lowe and Christian Burgess in front of a 965 crowd at Turners Cross, with many Blues supporters among them.
Portmarnock in July 2019
The following year, in July 2019, Jackett took his team back to the Republic of Ireland, this time to the Portmarnock Hotel and Golf Resort, near Dublin.
Training took place at the pitches of Malahide United, situated a 30-minute walk from the hotel alongside the coastline and a sandy beach, which proved a popular dip among the players on the journey back.
The tour also involved a friendly against League of Ireland Premier League strugglers UCD, which finished in a thumping 11-0 victory for a rampant Blues.
There were seven different scorers for Jackett’s men, consisting of Brett Pitman (three), Curtis (two), Louis Dennis (two), Lowe, Evans, Ben Close and Joe Hancott.
Since then, Pompey have visited Murcia, Malaga, Croatia and Slovakia, yet this summer have instead opted to venture a little closer to home.
And Ireland will serve as their training base until Saturday, before the pre-season friendly schedule kicks in with a trip to Woking (Tuesday, July 14).