Cowley’s vital Mnoga conundrum in bid to avoid wasted season
POMPEY are desperate to find a suitable loan destination for Haji Mnoga to resurrect what threatens to be a wasted season of development.
The Blues have high hopes for the 19-year-old, who possesses the potential to become one of their best academy products in recent years.
Yet it has so far been a hugely disappointing campaign amid the failure of a miserable Bromley loan spell.
Danny Cowley had identified the necessity for Mnoga to play 35 matches this term, thereby providing crucial first-team experience.
The outcome has been seven appearances and one red card in four months with the National League club.
Although the loan officially finishes in January, the defender’s time at Bromley has long since ended, returning full-time to Pompey earlier this month.
Mnoga’s last outing for the non-leaguers was at the start of November, when he received a straight red card following an awful challenge against Rotherham in the FA Cup.
That moment arrived just five minutes after coming on as a substitute and, ironically, also caused a shin injury to the defender in the process.
Now Cowley is challenged with finding the youngster another loan club when the transfer window reopens.
Mnoga can ill-afford having a season written off, with match minutes so essential to his ongoing development.
It represents a crucial decision for the Blues’ head coach, who appreciates it
must be the correct choice for the benefit of the Somerstown lad.
Certainly the National League is the most realistic destination for Mnoga, particularly as he has so far done little to earn a League Two chance.
Similarly, his Fratton Park season has failed to ignite, with just two Papa John’s Trophy outings so far, both ending in defeat.
The teenager’s most recent appearance was against Sutton United in October, when he was withdrawn at half time with an injury.
In comparison, last term represented something of a breakthrough campaign, with nine appearances, including a Football League debut and his maiden goal.
Mnoga also favourably caught the eye of Cowley, who subsequently oversaw the youngster being handed a three-year deal in August.
In addition, Pompey’s boss employed him in the centre of midfield on occasions during pre-season, praising Mnoga’s physicality and ability, yet a loan spell away from Fratton Park remained the wisest move.
With the versatile Kieron Freeman and loanee Mahlon Romeo vying for the rightback spot, Blues first-team chances remain restricted.
Mnoga can also operate in the centre of defence, but Cowley already has Sean Raggett, Connor Ogilvie, Clark Robertson and Paul Downing, and wants another centre-half in January.
Orchestrating a productive loan spell for the home-grown talent during the second half of the season is imperative.
Otherwise Mnoga faces squandering a campaign which was meant to deliver so much.