The coaches Danny Cowley's previously worked with who could be added to Portsmouth's backroom staff

With the squad being ripped up and started again, fans await to see who’ll be the first fresh face through the door as part of Danny Cowley's revolution.

Yet there are also changes going on behind the scenes in a bid to finally yield League One promotion.

As reported earlier this week, recruitment analysts Matt Page and Toby Ellis have arrived at Fratton Park to bolster the summer squad overhaul.

They’ve worked with Cowley at Lincoln and Huddersfield in the past and reunite for a third time at Fratton Park.

But who else could join the backroom staff in the coming weeks to fill the berths of Joe Gallen, Jake Wigley and John Keeley?

Cowley will likely want to bring in another first-team coach to assist himself and brother, Nicky.

A new goalkeeping coach may also be recruited rather than promoting Michael Poke, who’s in charge of that department for the academy.

More often than not, managers turn to staff they’ve worked with before and already have the utmost trust in.

With that in mind, we’ve had a look at two candidates who could come in, having worked under Cowley during his highly fruitful spell as Lincoln boss.

Jamie McCombe

The former centre-back enjoyed a fine playing career, with the highlights being League One promotions with Bristol City and Preston.

He was re-signed by Lincoln in January 2016, which represented his second stint at the club.

Only months after Cowley took the Sincil Bank helm, McCombe was appointed player-coach.

In that role, he would help the Imps yield both the National League and League Two titles within three years.

Speaking at the time of McCombe's appointment, Cowley said: ‘Since day dot he has had an involvement in training sessions and our tactical organisation.

‘While we still very much need him as a player, it makes sense to give a title to the role he is already doing.’

After the Cowleys left for Huddersfield in September 2019, McCombe took charge of Lincoln in a caretaker capacity. He oversaw a draw and two defeats before Michael Appleton was appointed boss.

McCombe initially stayed on in his role in Appleton's backroom staff before leaving in January 2020.

The 38-year-old has been out of work since, although he recently gave his services to Sunderland ahead of their play-off semi-final defeat against Lincoln.

With long-time partner Jamie McAllister banned, Lee Johnson called on his former Bristol City team-mate to assist with duties.

Johnson described McCombe as a ‘set-piece specialist’.

He said: ‘Jamie is something of a set-play specialist, he's worked at Lincoln before and that's interesting because it gives us another viewpoint.

‘He is someone that has the character to slot in.’

Jimmy Walker

The ex-keeper made more than 600 senior appearances during his career.

The majority of those arrived at Walsall where he was promoted twice, while Walker served as an unused substitute for West Ham in their 2006 FA Cup final defeat to Liverpool and had a season at Tottenham.

Walker's first coaching gig arrived at Peterborough in 2013. Following a spell at Gillingham, he then linked up with Cowley at Lincoln in the summer of 2016 where they achieved National League glory together.

Walker was then poached by Sunderland in 2018, but left just four months laters for Ipswich to be nearer his family in Essex.

However, the 47-year-old hasn't survived Paul Cook's cull. He was let go from Portman Road last month, with Cook saying he wanted to freshen things up.

It would be somewhat ironic if Walkes joined Pompey's coaching staff given that he would be replacing Keeley – who's just filled his old role at the Tractor Boys.