Portsmouth boss’ fitness update over Liverpool signing as no-nonsense message fired
The £300,000 arrival from Anfield has been handed a Championship target by John Mousinho, as he aims not to fall behind his team-mates in terms of fitness.
Harvey Blair has been challenged to get his pre-season campaign up and firing as he battles back from his latest injury setback.
Pompey boss John Mousinho believes the winger needs to ensure he gets pre-season games under his belt, to avoid playing catch-up going into a big second campaign at Fratton Park.
Mousinho sets clear Pompey challenge for injured winger
Blair is now more than nine weeks into his recovery from a hamstring picked up against Hull City on the final day of the 2024-25 campaign.
It was a late-season blow for the £300,000 signing in a maiden term at PO4 which was impacted by fitness issues.
Blair has dealt with a knee problem in addition to other injury and illness problems, which limited the 21-year-old to just three starts amid a total of 12 outings.
There was encouraging signs from the Huddersfield talent towards the end of the campaign, with performances which showcased his direct running.
Blair is completing his injury rehabilitation at the club’s pre-season training camp in Slovakia, however, as his team-mates up their work ahead of the new campaign.
Pompey begin their pre-season programme with a quick-fire double at Woking and Farnborough next Tuesday and Wednesday, as the group’s work accelerates.
Mousinho is conscious of the knock-on effect of Blair not being involved early on next season, in what the head coach is billing as a big campaign in the player’s career.
That means Blair needing to get back from a ‘pretty severe’ injury before he’s left behind in terms of his fitness by his team-mates.
Mousinho said: ‘Harvey’s doing well, but it’s going to be important for him to get back (as quickly as he can).
‘He’s been out for more than nine weeks now with a pretty severe hamstring tear. It was one where he did it in the challenger, rather than accelerating away from the challenge.
‘We saw glimpses of what Harvey is capable of before that at the end of the season. He had that cameo against Millwall and then played against Sheffield Wednesday and scored.
‘Even against Hull in getting injured he carried the ball 70 yards, leaving three or four players for dead.
‘We know what Harvey is capable of and we want him to get back to that.
‘The physical side is really important and he needs to get fit, because when he’s been fit he’s look good.
‘I think we saw that in the Sheffield Wednesday game. If he falls off he falls off without having the playing time, so it’s absolutely fine.
‘So we do need to get him up to scratch. We need him to play pre-season games, so he’s ready to kick on this season.’
Pompey boss’ plan for Harvey Blair in Championship
Speaking of Blair’s progress back in May, Mousinho told how he wants the player to see his maiden Pompey season as a campaign of adjustment, before fulfilling his potential next term.
He said: ‘In terms of his development, I want him to treat this year almost like it was his first loan.
‘I know he’s a permanent, but he’s one of those players who’s come out of the 21s, had his first taste of league football, his first taste of living away from Liverpool and any home comforts he was used to.
‘He’s really needed to adjust to life down here and training here every day.
‘The PL2 fixture list is very different from the Championship fixture list and the demands of the league is very different.
‘We’ve seen that with first loans relentlessly.
‘So it’s almost that’s your first loan and we’re getting you back for your second loan next season, but thankfully we’ve got him as a permanent player - I’m expecting big things from Harvey.’