The cautionary story of Portsmouth boss’ West Brom link and what lies ahead now

The messages started to fly to and fro on Thursday afternoon, the wheels of the managerial rumour mill had started turning.

Within 24 hours the next West Brom managerial market had responded: John Mousinho had come from nowhere, to being the clear favourite to succeed Tony Mowbray at the Hawthorns.

Not that the shift with the oddsmakers should’ve been taken as a reading that movement was afoot and someone, somewhere knew something the rest of us didn’t.

There’s a weight afforded such patterns with the football masses which is out of kilter with the reality; it’s not huge sums but a few small bets in quick succession which lead to odds tumbling.

Yet the rumblings grew louder, to the point that this observer’s phone began to sing a concerned tune of WhatsApp and text alerts from worried members of the Fratton faithful.

Was the architect of Pompey’s title-winning rise to the Championship on his way? Was the man who’s invigorated this football club, as they punched above their weight this term going? Say it ain’t so, Mous.

Well, in a manner of speaking, he did.

The News were quickly able to establish the lack of veracity surrounding the rumours, and nip the speculation in the bud by yesterday afternoon.

There was a fair degree of appreciation for doing so, though there was also an online element who slightly bizarrely felt the whole thing had been concocted by this organisation to generate a story with the season at an end.

Nothing could have been further from the truth, of course. Like the constant transfer rumours, checking the legitimacy of the incessant chatter can be tiresome but it’s necessary.

With regard to Mousinho, this is the first such rumour to gain traction in tandem with the bookmakers’ reaction. There’s been under-the-radar whispers of interest before, but nothing to catch the eye of supporters.

What is certain, however, is this isn’t going to be the last time it happens.

It was just over a fortnight ago, the 39-year-old gave his detailed response over his thoughts about his Pompey future, as the West Brom and Norwich City managerial hot-seats were vacated in quick succession.

What came across was not just sincerity with which Mousinho spoke, but a sense of a debt to sporting director Rich Hughes and the club’s owners who took a chance on a relative unknown 28 month s ago.

‘Genuinely, my mindset is I’d like to have a long, successful career at Portsmouth,’ Mousinho said from the club’s Hilsea training base.

‘I still feel incredibly grateful to the club for taking a chance on me and a risk on me in the first place. I’ll never forget that.

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‘We can talk about my ambitions and the club’s ambitions matching up in the future, but this is a club that went and took a risk on me that no one else did.

‘People said they didn’t know who I am and that’s fine, but Portsmouth took that risk on me.

‘Hopefully people can see that it’s paid off so far, but it’s only two-and-a-half years. I think everyone, including myself, is very excited about building on that.

‘I just find that incredibly exciting and I find it exciting working here, so I think we’ll keep that going.’

Yes, we aren’t blind to the ruthless business of football, which seemed to have parted with such queer notions as loyalty when Alan Knight hung up his gloves.

Pompey fans, too, are reminded of Paul Cook’s ‘I would never leave this club’ words of commitment a couple of weeks before jumping ship for Wigan in 2017.

With respect to Cookie, a man rated in these quarters as one of the club’s best managers, we’re talking about two very different people here. Likewise, two very different sets of circumstances.

Pompey boss will attract suitors - but not West Brom

While Cook legitimately hankered for the financial reward he felt didn’t arrive until new employers had turned his head, Mousinho has been handed his improved terms.

We know there will be suitors, as recently as yesterday Hughes acknowledged that is likely to come this summer for Pompey’s biggest asset.

But this is a project the head coach believes in, a home he’s truly embraced and works for him.

In the Londoner’s mind there’s still significant growth to come from this group, they’ve yet to hit their ceiling.

Yet if Mousinho’s development continues at the current rate, that day will arrive. There will be a tipping point, such is the way the business of football works.

If Pompey improve again next term it may arrive in the shape of a club with aspirations, the ambition and resources to reach the Premier League sooner than the timeline his current employers are on.

If the ascent along that learning curve carries on for one of bright, young managerial things of English football that moment will come, of that there’s no doubt.

But that club doesn’t feel like West Brom, and the time doesn’t feel like now.

YOUR NEXT POMPEY READ: John Mousinho future latest with Portsmouth boss favourite for West Brom role.