Testing times and the quality of a gent and Portsmouth Football Club

Kenny Jackett was presented with a worrying health issue, yet his considerations remained robustly maintaining the correct course of this season’s promotion bid.

For those who know him, it’s not surprising. The Pompey boss is for drama what Boris Johnson is for sartorial elegance.

So the rhetoric has been considered and certain words avoided, yet when such an issue arises the concern is obvious.

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On Thursday, Jackett will undergo preventative and elective surgery to remove a mole on his right forearm.

There has been talk now for some time of a potential health issue for the Pompey boss.

Yet, multiple news sources have maintained both a respectful distance over investigating the issue and ethical silence of its reporting.

That allowed Jackett the time to speak to those who needed to know, before a blanket media announcement was slated for midday today.

In the event, the news slipped into the public domain ahead of the scheduled time, before the Blues boss undertook his usual press duties ahead of the trip to Bristol Rovers.

To do so was impressive - and an approach you’d see almost nowhere else in the modern-day football environment, where a terse statement is issued before the shutters go down.

Pompey have once again acted impeccably in a tricky situation where there has been a flow of information back and forth where possible, and privacy protected where that’s the right course of action.

Of course, the club’s first priority has been for their employee through a time when there has been obvious concern for his health.

The outlook has become brighter, however, in recent days with an anticipated recovery period of two weeks for an elective and preventative surgery.

For all the support Pompey are offering their manager, you feel they will have a job on their hands to prevent him from being present and taking a hands-on role at the Memorial Ground tomorrow. The same moving forward, in fact, with the aid of modern technology.

While a period of convalescence will be required, you get the vibe as normal a path ahead as possible will be what both Jackett and his team want now.

Ultimately, he’s seeking minimum disruption and maximum momentum. Every Pompey fan will wish for the same - along with a speedy and full recovery for their manager.

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