'There's no point rushing': Portsmouth boss delivers key update on Regan Poole's pre-season progress

Although John Mousinho insists the defender is making encouraging progress from ACL damage.

It is approaching eight months since the popular former Lincoln man sustained his season-ending knee injury in the FA Cup first-round defeat at Chesterfield in November.

Poole wasn’t involved with his team-mates in Monday’s return to the training pitch following the summer break, instead his fitness focused on running laps on his own.

Nonetheless, the Wales international will be part of the squad travelling to Croatia on Saturday for a week-long training camp.

However, Poole won’t be considered for the Blues’ friendly programme ahead of the Championship season’s August 10 kick-off.

Mousinho told The News: ‘Regan is progressing nicely. He’s back out on the grass, which is a really big step in terms of that ACL rehab, and hopefully will progress from that point onwards.

‘At the minute we’re not looking at anything in terms of his return. We need to keep going with him on the grass before getting him back out with his boots and passing the ball. It’s about slowly reintegrating him into training.

‘But I don’t believe he will play any of our pre-season games. That would be a step too far for Regan.

‘He obviously picked up the injury in the first round of the FA Cup (in November). You have to let all the swelling go down before surgery, so the operation wasn’t straight away - and normally you are looking at nine months from that point.

‘We’re making sure we get it right. We have taken our time up to this mark, so there’s no point rushing it now.

‘We just have to make sure Regan is right and back to feature at some point this year. But it’s really good to see him a step closer to returning.’

The only other absentee from Pompey’s return to training was new recruit Jordan Williams, who was suffering from a tight calf.

In the meantime, Mousinho remains encouraged over Poole’s progress.

He added: ‘He sees the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s a really big step when you’re doing those long rehab stints in the gym to getting onto the grass, mentally more than anything.

‘It’s actually being able to lace your boots and being a bit more involved with the lads. At least when we were doing the runs on Friday, Regan was out there.

‘He wasn’t doing the runs with us, but he was there and feels a bit more part of the squad now.’