Portsmouth boss drops Rocco Shein selection hint for Bolton Wanderers as £2.1m midfielder comes in from cold
He returned off the bench against Stoke City after one sub appearance in eight games. John Mousinho discusses the Championship outlook for Rocco Shein.
John Mousinho hinted there could be first-team opportunities arising for Rocco Shein after the international break.
And the Pompey boss dismissed the midfielder’s £2.1m price tag as a factor in a testing start to life in English football for the Estonia international.
Mousinho on Shein: ‘There’s probably going to be opportunities there’
Shein came back in from the cold against Stoke City on Saturday, picking up second half minutes off the bench in the 2-1 loss to the high-fliers at Fratton Park.
That came off the back of just one substitute appearance in the previous eight games for the 23-year-old, following a broadly difficult period across his first seven league outings.
Shein had some decent moments after being introduced for skipper Marlon Pack in the 75th minute, after three games without any action.
With Iyad Mohamed struggling with a calf injury and Ebou Adams set to serve a one-game ban at Bolton Wanderers after picking up five yellow cards, Pompey’s midfield options are now looking more stretched.
And Mousinho suggested that could open the door for more playing time for Shein, in the wake of his high profile summer capture from Norwegian side Fredrikstad FK.
The Pompey boss dismissed any focus on the fee paid to bring in the summer arrival however, ahead of three games in eight days on his side’s return to action next week.
Mousinho said: ‘It’s the same as all the players really with Rocco. It’s the same as Odin (Bailey), he has to work to fight his way into the side. Rocco has to do the same.
‘He showed some really promising bits against Stoke.
‘We want all the players to be at it, because you never know when things are going to change.
‘All of a sudden with Iyad injured and Ebou out, there’s probably going to be opportunities there.
‘Rocco’s price tag for the Championship isn’t huge.
‘It may be big by what we’ve spent over the past couple of years, but Rocco’s price tag certainly isn’t huge.
‘So there’s no pressure on Rocco from me, because we’ve spent money on him.
‘The pressure needs to come internally because we want him to be a really good player.
‘We want him to become a proper Championship footballer.
‘He’s showing all the right traits and characteristics we see every day in training, hence we wanted to bring him on against Stoke. He just has to keep at it. ‘
Mousinho may have highlighted Shein’s fee as being moderate by Championship standards, but the player himself has indicated he’s comfortable with expectations because of his price tag.
Speaking to The News in July after signing, Shein said: ‘Of course the club are investing in me, so I need to perform.
‘It’s a good feeling that the club put some big money into me.
‘Maybe one day they will want to make money from me, but we will see.
‘It’s also big pressure on me, but I like that pressure.
‘So I’m going to take it really positively - it’s pressure on my shoulders but it’s good.’