Pompey boss could’ve ‘lost’ his captain after shock snub from both legs of play-off clash
KENNY Jackett may have ‘lost’ Tom Naylor after axing the skipper from the play-offs.
That’s the belief of chief sports writer, Neil Allen, who admitted he can’t see a way back for the midfielder as a result of the strain the shock decision would have put on their relationship.
Naylor didn’t play a single minute as Pompey fell in the League One play-offs for the second time in as many seasons, losing 5-4 on penalties against Oxford United on Monday after a 2-2 draw on aggregate.
The big team news was undoubtedly Naylor’s omission after being a central figure in Jackett’s team over the past two campaigns.
Speaking in the latest edition of Pompey Talk, Allen believes that call will leave doubt in Naylor’s mind with it a long way back to repair relations between the pair.
Allen said: ‘Where does Tom Naylor go from here?
‘Every time Tom Naylor is fit and not suspended he plays in Jackett’s team – and he’s been overlooked for the two biggest games of the season.
‘He’s been put on the bench and not played at all. How can Naylor possibly come back from this? I can’t see it.
‘Surely the manager has now lost him.
‘How can Kenny Jackett say: “new season you’re back as captain and will play again”?
‘He will automatically think that’s until a big game and he gets dropped.
‘How does Naylor come back from this? I can’t see how he can.’
Allen made it clear he doesn’t necessarily see Naylor, who garnered support in the Blues’ player of the season vote, leaving Pompey with so much uncertainty in the game amid the coronavirus pandemic.
He added: ‘It’s got to be a crossroads. I’m not saying he’s going to leave, because of the environment out there with football.
‘He remains a key player and one of their best players who was third in the player of the year vote as well.
‘He’s definitely at a crossroads because he’ll be thinking “what do I do now”?
‘It was a big decision and I can only see him (Jackett) losing the player.’
Naylor made 43 appearances for Pompey in all competitions during the 2019/20 season, scoring in the 2-0 home victory over Tranmere Rovers last August.
In all, the 29-year-old has played 93 times for the Blues since joining from Burton Albion in the summer of
2018.
Tom Naylor played in 43 games for Pompey during the 2019/20 campaign