AHADME’S FRATTON FUTURE IS IN DOUBT
Cowley set for talks with Norwich over loanee’s future as games dry up
DANNY COWLEY is planning talks with Norwich over Gassan Ahadme’s ongoing Fratton Park presence.
The 21-year-old’s seasonlong loan can be cancelled in January – and the indications are it is a route the Blues are considering.
Following a flurry of appearances at the start of the campaign, Ahadme has swiftly fallen out of favour, despite being available.
Since September he has been handed just five outings, of which four minutes have come in League One action.
Cowley has previously intimated that he wants to create squad space to accommodate two new loan arrivals in January’s transfer window.
And he plans to hold talks with Ahadme’s parent club Norwich over the best course of action for the out-of-favour player.
Pompey’s head coach told The News: ‘I love Gass, he’s a great kid, my heart is with him. I am desperate for him to do well.
‘I think we’ll sit down with Gassan and Norwich and try to make the very best decision for all parties.
‘It’s about what is right for him, always for the player, it’s always for me to make player-centric decisions.
‘Make the right decision for the player and, if you do the right thing by the players, then normally over time they will reciprocate and do the right things for the team.
‘That will be a decision that we’ll make between ourselves and Norwich, with obviously Gassan’s input.
‘He came in, had a brilliant pre-season, and trained
incredibly hard every day. He has been a consummate professional.
‘He definitely would have liked to have played more than he has, but this is football. We are a small squad of 22 players and, even in a small squad, you’ve still got 11 of them not playing.
‘But I definitely think it has been a good experience for Gass, he has learnt a lot about this level of football.
‘He is learning to adapt his game to this level of football and developing coping strategies, which you need when things don’t go your way.
‘We know in football that success doesn't always happen in a straight line, you have difficult moments, you must learn how to cope with individual disappointment.
‘All of these are really positive experiences which will help Gassan move forward.’
Ahadme has been an unused substitute in each of Pompey’s last five fixtures.
It’s another clear indication of his fading influence in this Blues squad, with 10 appearances and no goals since his Carrow Road loan arrival.
Although Cowley insists the forward did come into his thoughts for a bench cameo in the hunt for goals against Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night.
He added: ‘I think there was an argument for us to bring Gass on Tuesday.
‘Instead we went with Ellis (Harrison) because they had
gone down to 10 men and we were getting crosses into the box, so I wanted a bit more physicality and power.
‘Gassan has got to keep working hard and waiting for his opportunity. It’s probably
the only area of the pitch where we've actually got competition.’