Football pundit Jamie O’Hara believes Portsmouth have a great chance to carry their momentum to the Premier League if they secure promotion from League One this season.
Pompey are in the driving seat to return to the Championship after a 12-year absence and currently sit five points clear at the top of the third tier. They also hold a game in hand over second-placed Derby County as we enter the business end of the season.
John Mousinho’s team have been the one to beat for much of the campaign having held the top spot since September, with the exception of a small blip in November. They could make giant strides to confirming promotion over the Easter period when they take on the Rams on Monday.
This is Portsmouth’s sixth season in League One, where they have consistently finished in the top half since winning League Two in 2017. However, they have found the division tough to emerge from.
It’s their form this season that O’Hara believes makes them good value for back-to-back promotions. The former midfielder represented the south coast club during the 2009/10 season, which ultimately ended in relegation from the Premier League.
The 2008 FA Cup winners have not returned to the top-flight since, although the talkSPORT pundit claims that the sky is the limit after dominating League One throughout the course of this season. Speaking to Grosvenor Sport, O’Hara said:
“You never know – Portsmouth could find themselves back in the Premier League in the next few years.
“Teams can have crazy seasons, much like Luton did last year. If you find a way to get results and wins on the board in the Championship, you can find yourself in a good position with how often fixtures come around.
“If Portsmouth can get into the Championship, keep building, and have some structure like they have now, then they will have that winning mentality and the sky would be the limit for them. Fair play to them by the way – it is very difficult to get out of League One. You see a lot of big teams end up in there and find it difficult to get back up, so I have a lot of respect for them and I’ll hopefully be down there to watch a game soon for sure.
“If the club win League One, then they’ll be able to use that momentum for the next 12 months and hopefully more, because the players will have experienced that winning feeling. The question is, will the current players have enough in the tank to go again next season? I could see it!”
Before Portsmouth welcome Derby to Fratton Park on Monday, they must try to navigate a way past EFL Trophy finalists Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park this afternoon.
Writer’s View
Portsmouth’s time in the lower reaches of the football pyramid looks to be finally coming to an end and they have every right to dream of a return to the Premier League. Ipswich Town have proved that challenging in the Championship can be done and there is no reason why John Mousinho cannot achieve similar.
Pompey will need things to fall into place though. Summer recruitment has to be spot on and there can be no margin for error. That being said, just cementing their place in the second tier and giving themselves a platform to build on in the coming years will be the immediate aim.
Head of Writing
