Contract situation to do with ongoing
Neil Allen
John Mousinho has dismissed accusations that Jay Mingi’s failure to sign a Pompey contract is behind his ongoing first-team absence.
And the Blues’ head coach is adamant injury and fitness issues are the sole reasons for the talented 22-year-old yet to play under him.
In an interview with The News, Mingi’s football representative insisted his client was disappointed at his lack of match action, having been ‘fully fit since midFebruary’.
He also said the one-time Charlton and Wrexham target’s first-team sidelining is influenced by not signing his new deal, having been told by Pompey they ‘wanted to work with players who they feel are going to be here longterm’.
Yet Mousinho strongly refutes both claims.
He told The News: ‘Absolutely not. I categorically can say that is not true about the contract, there is no truth in that whatsoever.
‘We have plenty of players who are out of contract in the summer and playing, that’s not something which is holding Jay back whatsoever.
‘I haven’t been told anything by the club in terms of who I have to play or not play, which has been brilliant. You can pick whatever squad you think is best to win the game at the weekend, as I’m sure all the fans would expect.
‘All team selections and squad selections have been exactly that, I haven’t had to worry about anything in terms of contracts.
‘Picking players based on contracts is never going to be anything I am remotely interested in doing.
‘Jay obviously came back from a long-term injury and travelled to Cambridge