Nicolaisen backed by Pompey’s Cowley
PORTSMOUTH manager Danny Cowley has backed defender Rasmus Nicolaisen, who may have to step in against Burton Albion today if injury rules out key man Sean Ragget.
Raggett suffered a suspected fractured cheekbone against Wigan Athletic last week and was replaced in the game by Nicolaisen, a Dane who is on a season-long loan from Midtjylland.
Cowley says Nicolaisen gives the team defensive balance, both in and out of possession, with his left foot.
“He’s going to be a good player, he’s been really well coached,” said Cowley.
“You just look at the way he moves and his footwork, you can see he’s been well coached from a young age.
“He’s almost textbook in the way he moves defensively.
“In possession, he has that ability to find a pass and has a nice range of passing.”
Nicloaisen also found himself in the headlines for the wrong reasons last week, when he was fined £2,500 for breaching FA betting rules after he staked more than £40,000 on 53 football-related bets.
Cowley says he has addressed that issue and is confident that it will have no negative impact on Nicolaisen’s game.
“Young people make mistakes, old people make mistakes; it’s not the mistake which defines you, it’s your response to the mistake,” said Cowley.
“We’ve been really impressed with the way he responded and he’s a good kid.
“We don’t always get it right. I never worry about people making mistakes, I just don’t like people making the same mistake twice.”