'Brutal': Frustrated Portsmouth sporting director vows to finally address 24-month injury nightmare

Rich Hughes has pledged to do ‘everything in his power’ to resolve Pompey’s continual injury problems.

Although the sporting director is convinced the relentlessness and physicality of the modern game is a pivotal factor behind ongoing availability issues.

It has been another Blues season devastated by injuries, particularly key players - and certainly in the centre of defence.

The likes of Colby Bishop, Regan Poole, Conor Shaughnessy, Callum Lang, Jordan Williams and Paddy Lane were all condemned to lengthy spells on the sidelines.

In addition, Jacob Farrell and Ibane Bowatt, who both arrived in the summer of 2024, have totalled just one match between them, such has been the extent of their serious injuries.

Regardless, John Mousinho has overseen another highly successful campaign, steering Pompey into 16th position upon their Championship.

But after two injury-ravaged seasons, Hughes is determined to finally address their availability headache.

Hughes criticises ‘absolutely relentless’ schedule

He told The News: ‘We want to have a better injury record next year although, when you have the volume of injuries we’ve had, it would be remiss to put it on any one factor.

‘There have been some strange moments, like Hayden Matthews, where Alfie Lloyd lands on him and it’s an impact muscle injury. Still, we’re frustrated with the amount of injuries we’ve had and we’re going to do everything in our power to try to fix it.

‘But when you’re in the eye of the storm, there’s always that feeling you are getting them more and more frequently than everyone else. The attrition rate of the league is getting higher and higher, the games are much more physical.

‘The scheduling this season has been absolutely relentless. On four occasions we’ve had three games in six days. You play a few games, have an international break, play a few more, then have eight matches in January.

‘There’s a hell of a lot of factors to it and loads we have to work at and be better at. We’re going to strive to do that in terms of how we prep the boys and how we recover them, plus all these bits in between.

‘But I don't think there is any one binary reason which has been the deciding factor in the amount of injuries this season.’

Two years of Portsmouth injury agony

Pompey suffered from similar injury headaches during their League One title-winning season.

Poole, Alex Robertson, Tino Anjorin, Ben Stevenson, Tom McIntyre, Anthony Scully and Joe Morrell were among the long-term absentees, while even the ever-dependable Connor Ogilvie missed 21 matches.

This time around, the centre of defence was particularly hard hit, with even Alexander Milosevic, who was signed as defensive cover, sustaining an injury and never managing to play.

Pompey chief’s warning over ‘brutal, physical game now’

Hughes added: ‘What has made it worse has been that natural concentration of them exclusively to centre-backs for a period of time, which has been really frustrating.

‘It would have been more negligible if they’d been split over different positions and probably not been as noticeable.

‘The schedule is getting more and more relentless, it’s a brutal, physical game now in terms of the demands, sprinting, high-speed running.

‘We have to adapt everything we do to better account for that and make sure we’re in the best spot we can be.’

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