Pompey in no hurry to fill crucial role

POMPEY are prepared to be patient in their search for a head of football operations.

The Blues are even willing to pause a process they began back in February as they look to appoint a candidate they feel accurately fits the requirements of a key role within the clubstructuremovingforward.

A step in that particular direction comes with a confidence that it would have no impact on the current recruitment process already under way at Fratton Park.

Pompey’s stance comes amid much talk of their efforts to fill the vacant position created by Roberto Gagliardi’s departure earlier this year.

Forest Green director of football Richard Hughes was a front-runner for the role, before he committed his future to the newly-promoted outfit.

Cambridge United sporting director Ben Strang also emerged as a potential candidate.

Strang is also someone – among others – Pompey would be interested in.

But it’s understood no offer of any description has been made to the former head of academy recruitment at Norwich during this process – despite initial reports that he has turned the Blues down.

With no appointment expected any time soon, club chief executive Andy Cullen and the Blues’ external recruitment partner in the matter remain relaxed with their search progress and determined to find the right candidate for the position.

And part of that focus will centre on identifying someone who will be committed to Pompey for the long term and be able to strengthen the Fratton Park outfit on multiple fronts – from recruitment and analytics, to sports science and medicine, and aligning the academy with the first team.

There will also be an expectation to help ease some of the pressure on head coach Danny Cowley.