Provisional pre-season Pompey plans doubtful

The new Blues manager wants as much time as possible with his squad – and believes the club’s current facilities are perfect for their preparations ahead of life in League One.

Before his Wigan departure, former boss Paul Cook had earmarked a return to Ireland to play a number of friendlies.

But that trip, along with a potential training camp on the Algarve, now look unlikely.

Members of the Fratton Park dressing room are due to return for pre-season duty at the end of the month.

Jackett will be keen to drill his philosophy and vision into his new squad.

And the ex-Millwall boss insisted Pompey’s Roko training base is more than sufficient for getting the players fine-tuned for next season.

Jackett said: ‘We don’t want to be letting anyone down, any local clubs we have committed to.

‘We’ll fulfil our obligations to what is already arranged and won’t let anyone down.

‘In terms of putting a tour together, I think it will be tough.

‘If we do go away for a few days, that will be it.

‘It will take too much of our time for what we need to do.

‘The pitches here are good, the training ground is good.

‘The basis of pre-season will be around the skeleton that is already established.

‘We will be working hard to make sure we put our own stamp on it.

‘If pre-season is at the training ground, we won’t worry – we will make sure we are prepared.’

The Blues meet Salisbury on July 1 for their first pre-season game before facing Sutton (July 12), Eastleigh (July 15), Bognor (July 19), Cardiff (July 28) and the Hawks (July 29).

– WILL ROONEY