Portsmouth stage talks with season in turmoil ahead of Sunderland clash

And Kenny Jackett is adamant he’s seen the character in his side’s dressing to turn their campaign around.

The Blues’ squad and coaching staff today held discussions at the club’s Roko training base, in an effort to get to the bottom of their dreadful form.

Jackett’s side find themselves on a run of one win in six, with that form compounded by an abject 4-1 mauling at struggling Northampton on Saturday.

That sees their bid for promotion hanging in the balance with 14 games remaining, with fans furious and demanding the manager’s sacking.

Pompey would regularly hold a debrief after any weekend game on a Monday, but Jackett explained how those discussions were intensified in the light of the weekend’s events.

He said: ‘I do like on Monday morning to sum up where we were on Saturday and then quickly point the whole squad towards the next game, which comes fast and gives us the opportunity to improve both performance and result.

‘There were a lot of individual discussions, probably more than usual when you lose 4-1.

‘There was also an analysis on Sunderland and for that game where it coincides with what we need to improve on.

‘But then there was a longer team meeting, much longer.

‘We conceded poor goals that we need to put right, and that’s really important. We have to get those things right.

‘In terms of the group, yes, they are committed and they are good people who do care and do want it.

‘Our job, though, is to get those details right. Our job is to get those things right on the pitch.’

While there is focus on Jackett’s future, there are also now plenty of questions being asked of the Pompey players and their levels of determination to get the season going once more.

They have rightly faced criticism, which intensified in the wake of a Northampton performance which goes down as one of the worst seen in the modern era.

Jackett is certain there is character among the squad to reverse their fortunes, however.

He added: ‘I’m sure the determination is still there among the players to turn the season around.

‘We’ve had a poor run of performances and results, we have to be honest enough to say that.

‘The Oxford game was a battling performance and a good result, but probably since the turn of the year we’ve been inconsistent.

‘We need to be better and it’s what can we do better to improve?

‘It’s something we have to do quickly before the opportunity goes.’

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