Naylor’s omission - Jackett’s always
Pompey boss has never been afraid to make a big decision, just ask Roberts, Lowe, Curtis, MacGillivray and Pitman
IT’S a decision that is still causing debate.
Kenny Jackett’s decision to leave Tom Naylor out of Pompey’s League One play-off semi-final defeat by Oxford United indeed was a major curveball.
It was a huge call from the Blues’ boss to instead play Bryn Morris, despite him not kicking a ball in earnest for 14 months.
However, it didn’t quite pay off as Pompey were defeated by the U’s on penalties after a 2-2 draw over two legs.
Nevertheless, Jackett’s never been one to shy away from making significant, if not ruthless, decisions during his three years as manager.
We’ve taken a look at some of the others he’s made...
IMMEDIATELY FREEZING OUT ROBERTS
It was clear pretty quickly that Gary Roberts wasn’t in Jackett’s plans after taking over the Fratton Park driving seat from Paul Cook.
Despite being a key figure under the previous boss, scoring vital goals against Carlisle United, Hartlepool United and Plymouth Argyle in the charge to the League Two title, the Liverpudlian quickly found himself in the cold under his new manager.
Roberts was banished to train with the youth team, along with Michael Smith, and forced to watch the 2017-18 League One curtain-raiser from the Fratton Park directors’ box.
He’d eventually leave by mutual consent and reunite with Cook at Wigan Athletic – where they’d combine to win the League One crowd.
The decision to freeze out Roberts didn’t go down well with contingents of supporters at the time.
Meanwhile, the ex-Ipswich Town man himself said he felt ‘massively disrespected’.
WING DUO’S BLACK CATS OMISSION
Pompey found themselves a goal down heading into the second leg of the League One play-off semi-finals against Sunderland last season.
Yet Jackett made the call to start both wing wizards Jamal Lowe and Ronan Curtis on the bench at Fratton Park.
Granted, both had been quiet in the 1-0 loss at the Stadium of Light but it was a risky call to drop both danger men who’d netted a combined 29 goals across the campaign.
Instead, Gareth Evans and
Viv Solomon-Otabor started on both flanks.
Lowe was introduced on 53 minutes and Curtis wasn’t involved at all as Pompey were held to a goalless draw which ended their promotion hopes.
Lowe and Curtis netted a combined 29 goals during the 2018/19 season
CHANGING OF THE ARMBAND
On the Monday following a 1-1 draw at Blackpool in August, Brett Pitman and Gareth Evans were called into the manager’s office.
Both were told they’d be relieved of the respective captain and vice-skipper roles and were being replaced by Tom Naylor and Lee Brown.
The timing of Jackett’s decision was what caused the most confusion.
He’d stated in pre-season that Pitman was still his captain, despite clearly falling down the pecking order, while Evans was preparing for a campaign playing a support-act role in the team.
Had the decision been made in the summer, it would have been fathomable. However, the timing of switching the armband was why fans were