Portsmouth News

‘Sometimes Kenny Jackett’s thinking is difficult to understand’

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Letter of the day

Earlier this season, I wrote in defence of our Portsmouth FC manager, Kenny Jackett, because I felt he was given insufficie­nt financial support to compete in the transfer market as he would have wished. Not just now with the current coronaviru­s difficulti­es but also earlier.

News reporter Jordan Cross (‘Jacket hits back, February 11) confirmed only £75k had been spent on the four January arrivals and the six summer acquisitio­ns. However more points for concern have since arisen.

It has been clear for many weeks now that leading scorer, John Marquis, is sadly out of form and his strike partner Ellis Harrison has not fared much better. I watched the video of Jordy Hiwula’s goals when he joined us and we have seen him score on the few occasions that he was given time on the pitch. He clearly has ability yet the manager refuses to play him.

As Neil Hawkins reminded us on February 11, for the play-off games against Oxford, Kenny Jackett left out driving-force and captain Tom Naylor. Another important player missing from those matches was competent, experience­d goalkeeper

Craig Macgillivr­ay, who had been replaced some weeks earlier by promising but inexperien­ced keeper, Alex Bass. There seemed no apparent reason for this? Macgillivr­ay was reinstalle­d earlier this season and is already a strong contender for ‘player of the season’, as is Tom Naylor.

As I write, we have seen goals given away by three of our back four defenders during the last three games, while our strongest defender, Jack Whatmough, is sat watching from the bench!

Sometimes Kenny Jackett’s thinking is difficult to understand.

Charles Mos, Portsmouth

 ?? Picture: Joe Pepler ?? MANAGER Pompey’s Kenny Jackett on February 27
Picture: Joe Pepler MANAGER Pompey’s Kenny Jackett on February 27

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