Why tainting outstanding reputation at Portsmouth this season holds no fear for Danny Cowley

The fear of letting the Fratton Faithful down is powering the Blues head coach forward, along with his brother Nicky.

The innate positivity which forms a key character trait of the man who arrived last month and energised his new club, is propelling him ahead.

But the thought of the damage to his reputation created by ultimately coming up short after leaving his family and moving 220 miles south in a bid to resurrect his new club’s season, isn’t a motivation for Pompey’s head coach.

Not one bit.

Cowley has given an impassioned insight into his psyche and his take on the associated risks with succeeding Kenny Jackett last month.

And after a period which has seen a poor run follow four successes, how he is being viewed by the wider world in a management game where perceptions are often key isn’t coming into the equation at all.

‘I’m not bothered,’ Cowley insisted. I’m not bothered about my reputation.

‘People have a perception of me, maybe, and a perception of us, maybe.

‘They think we play one way or the other way, they think we’re good winners or bad losers. Some of it’s true, most of it’s not.

‘I have to look myself in the mirror. For me there are certain key people in my life, whose opinions I absolutely respect. If they criticise me that actually hurts.

‘I know what I can do and I know what I can’t do. I’m not infallible

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‘I love football and on a good day I have a good level of enthusiasm and positivity.

‘I love the game and I like other people who love the game. I have a natural chemistry with other people who love the game.

‘I love what I do and I’m going to keep going. I’ll always keep going - you’ll have to kill me to beat me.’

Cowley’s time with his family has been restricted to some intermittent moments during a two-day visit across the Easter period, in his five weeks at Pompey so far.

Little will change on that front between now and when the season ends for the former Huddersfield boss and his brother.

These are the sacrifices Cowley is willing to make to ensure he can say he gave everything possible to bringing success to Pompey’s 2020-21 season, when the moment arrives for reflection.

Cowley added: I believe in myself, me and Nicky believe in ourselves, our work ethic and skillset.

‘We’re giving it everything we’ve got.

‘We could have sat at home, stayed with our families, enjoyed our time with them and wait until the end of the season.

‘It was the much easier, safer option available to us, but I live.

‘I haven’t seen my family for however long. They came over for two days over the Easter holidays, they went to the soccer school next door and I didn’t even see him, because I was so busy and focussed.

‘They are the sacrifices you have to make, but we want to live and do something with our lives.

‘This is a great opportunity and I only saw the opportunity - I still only see the opportunity.

‘Listen, if we come up short and the club say “thank you but no thank you”, that’s their prerogative. They are allowed to do that.

‘But I am going to go away knowing we gave this everything and we couldn’t have done anymore. I can live with that.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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