Jackett is expecting Williams to shake up winger battle on his forthcoming return
RYAN WILLIAMS is close to kick-starting his Pompey career.
And Kenny Jackett is expecting the Australian ace to energise the battle to start out wide for the Blues.
Williams has indicated he’s on the brink of a return from a troublesome quad injury and was doing running work outside at yesterday’s opening training session at Fratton Park.
The 25-year-old has been missing for seven weeks now since suffering the problem in the opening week of pre-season training.
That came after his maiden Socceroos outing this summer.
But Jackett is looking forward to seeing the summer arrival from Rotherham rejuvenating his options in wide areas.
He said: ‘Ryan hasn’t got going yet.
‘He’snewtothecluband along with (Oli) Hawkins and (Jack) Whatmough), they are the boys who are out.
‘When he does come back he will show a lot.
‘He will show a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of energy.’
The aim was for Jackett to assemble two players in every position when doing his transfer business across the summer. But with Williams sidelined that has not proved the case in wide areas at this formative stage of the season.
Marcus Harness and Ronan Curtis have been the fit players he’s been able to call upon there, with Gareth Evans able to operate out wide.
Jackett has been happy with the manner in which Harness has hit the ground running after arriving from Burton Albion for a fee of around £900,000.
Curtis’ form has been more variable, however, although he was back on an upward curve with a goal against Coventry on Tuesday night.
Jackett ultimately wants starting players to know they have competition breathing down their necks.
He added: ‘Ryan will give is our third winger if you like, as opposed to the two we’re working with at the moment.
‘Having said that, I believe in Harness. He’s come in and looks a good player.
‘It’s great that he’s got his first goal now and there’s Ronan as well.
‘So it’s not like we’ve got nobody there.
‘Both of those are talented enough wide men to do well.’ Ryan Williams has been out for seven weeks with an injured quad