Portsmouth boss John Mousinho addresses first-team plans for 'late bloomer' Tyrese Shade
The highly-regarded 26-year-old scored 14 goals in 44 appearances for League One Burton last season
John Mousinho is convinced ‘late bloomer’ Tyrese Shade can inject the attacking flexibility his team needs.
Having previously pursued the Burton striker in January, Pompey finally got their man on Tuesday’s transfer deadline day for around £1.8m.
The 26-year-old was playing non-league football with Eastleigh just 16 months ago, having fallen out of the Football League following spells with Swindon and Walsall.
Now Shade has linked up with the Blues, bolstering attacking options which also include Marko Milovanovic, Colby Bishop and, when fit, Thomas Waddingham.
And although primarily considered a centre-forward, it’s his versatility which also appeals to Mousinho.
‘He was one of the quickest in the league last year’
Pompey’s head coach told The News: ‘I think Tyrese has got a lot of flexibility. Without pinning him to one specific position, one of the reasons we brought him in is because he can play across the front line.
‘Traditionally he has been a centre-forward, back in his previous days he has played as a wing-back on both sides, he has played as a winger on both sides. He does a lot of his best work in that left-hand channel.
‘He’s one I think can fill in a number of positions across that front four, although Tyrese probably would consider himself a nine. I also think he can operate off the left.
‘Tyrese is very physical in terms of his pace, athleticism, he was one of the quickest in the league last year, but also matches that with a very, very good work-rate and all his numbers around that as well.
‘He’s got a fair bit to his game, he can spin in behind, stretch defences, his finishing is very, very good, he can drift off onto the left as well and then come inside when he links. I also think he’s very good with his back to play.
‘With Tyrese, it’s just a question of him being a late bloomer in terms of his development in football. He is really coming into his peak now, so we’re excited to hopefully benefit from that.’
Scored 14 goals for Burton last season
Shade was initially on the Blues’ radar last season, having registered 10 goals during an impressive 13-game spell heading into the January transfer window.
However, a potential move was scrapped late in the window when Burton escalated their asking price, with Pompey instead turning to Luton’s Jacob Brown as a striking alternative.
Despite recruiting Milovanovic this summer to bolster their attacking options, the Blues have been forced to further strengthen the position after yet another injury set-back for Waddingham.
Shade, who totalled 14 goals for the League One Brewers last season, has featured just once this term - as a second-half substitute at Notts County.
But he will be pushing to be included in Pompey’s squad for a potential debut against Cardiff on Saturday.
‘We were first very serious about bringing him in in January’
Mousinho added: ‘We were first very serious about bringing him in in January, off the back of a very good first half of the season with Burton. We weren’t able to do the deal, but thankfully got it done on deadline day.
‘Number nine is probably where Tyrese considers his natural position - and we want to have three centre-forwards.
‘We have lost Wadds for a few weeks, which is a real blow, and we think with this flexibility with the injuries we have across the front line, that is going to cover us quite well.’
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