Portsmouth boss delivers Callum Lang injury return update ahead of Millwall clash
Pompey are hoping for a big injury boost over Callum Lang for the Championship return against Millwall. John Mousinho discusses the key man’s comeback.
John Mousinho believes Callum Lang will be returning to the Pompey fray at full throttle.
The Blues boss acknowledged it’s futile trying to hold his side’s energiser back, as he gears up for his comeback against Millwall next weekend.
But Mousinho stressed there needs to be a certainty Lang is fully ready for his return, especially when considering the Scouser’s no-holds-barred style of play.
Lang is earmarked to make his comeback from over three months out of the first-team picture, following hamstring surgery after being forced off against Norwich in August.
The 27-year-old remains on course to offer a much-needed boost to Pompey’s attacking options, which have struggled amid a run of one win in 11 Championship outings.
Mousinho admitted Lang’s front-footed style of play is needed, with the Blues struggling to replicate the intensity he plays at. And because of that approach, he doesn’t see a scenario where the man who bagged 10 league goals last season can be asked to play within himself.
He said: ‘We can try (to hold him back) but I just don’t think it’s going to be possible.
‘I think what we have to do with Langy is make sure, by the time we play him, he’s ready to go.
‘There’s no way we are going to be able to ask Langy to operate anywhere below 100 per cent.
‘You can say to him “Cal look after yourself this afternoon and don’t run about”, I just don’t think that works in his case.
‘That’s great and that’s why we need him - that’s why we need his aggression and we need him back in the side.’
Lang is not the only player scheduled to make a return to the fray against Millwall, with Pompey set to be boosted by a number of other players being ready to take on Alex Neil’s side.
Keeper Nico Schmid is also anticipated to be primed to take on the Lions, after fracturing a bone in his hand in the south coast derby against Southampton in September.
Adrian Segecic is also being touted for the Fratton Park meeting with the Londoners, after suffering an ankle injury against Coventry last month.
Deadline day signing Franco Umeh hasn’t featured since arriving for £500,000 from Crystal Palace, but is expected to be back in full training next week.
It’s the same time frame for Harvey Blair, who has been feeling some hamstring discomfort after making two appearances off the bench this term.
Striker Thomas Waddingham is still sidelined with a quad issue, with Mousinho saying he’s expected to be out for between six and eight weeks.
Connor Ogilvie is slated to be out for 10-12 weeks, after suffering a knee injury against Wrexham last week.
Key defender Conor Shaughnessy is expected to return in December from a hamstring issue, with the outlook vague over Jacob Farrell’s groin issue - which continues an injury-ravaged Pompey stay to date.