Four Pompey players who need to hit the ground running in pre-season
All of Kenny Jackett’s troops will be eager to impress – both the new arrivals and those already at the club.
The stakes for places are high – but no more so than for four members of the Blues’ squad.....
Luke McGee
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Hide AdThe keeper will be readying himself for the battle of retaining his No1 spot during the off-season.
Craig MacGillivray’s arrival means McGee faces fierce competition for his berth between the posts.
The ex-Spurs talent had a decent maiden campaign last term, yielding 14 clean sheets in League One.
But McGee did make a few costly errors – the most memorable being on the second-last day of the season in the 1-0 loss at Bury.
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Hide AdThe 22-year-old now has to prove to his boss that he’s the best stopper at the club.
Danny Rose
Danny Rose returns to the fray following his devastating broken leg.
And not only does he have to win his midfield spot back, but show his injury hasn’t hampered any of his ability.
The Bristol-born talent’s setback meant Jackett had to experiment with his engine room last season.
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Hide AdAs a result, Anton Walkes – who Pompey are keen to bring back after his loan spell – found himself a niche screening the back four.
Gareth Evans also showed his versatility in the middle of the park.
Meanwhile, Tom Naylor has upped the competition, while Ben Close isn’t willing to lose his starting spot without a fight.
Conor Chaplin
This could be the most important summer of the Worthing talent’s career to date.
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Hide AdFor the majority of his time in the first team, Chaplin has been forced to be a bit-part player.
Despite being confident he can be a regular starter and goalscorer, chances haven’t come as frequently as he’d have liked.
Failure to impress this summer could well result in the striker departing for a club where he’ll be handed consistent game-time.
Dion Donohue
The Welshman was one of, if not Pompey’s, most improved player last term.
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Hide AdYet there’s still room for improvement, particularly defensively.
Recent signing Lee Brown’s experience and nous suggests he’s been earmarked to be first-choice left-back next term.
And that means Donohue will have a fight on his hands for a starting spot.
– WILL ROONEY