Portsmouth manager John Mousinho has confirmed that defender Regan Poole will not play a part in the club’s pre-season, according to Portsmouth News.
Welshman Poole will, however, travel with the club to Croatia for a training camp next week, with a view to being fit before the turn of the year.
Boss Mousinho said, “I don’t believe he will play any of our pre-season games. That would be a step too far for Regan.
“He obviously picked up the injury in the first round of the FA Cup (in November). You have to let all the swelling go down before surgery, so the operation wasn’t straight away – and normally you are looking at nine months from that point.”
Pompey face Leeds United in their first Championship game since 2012 following last season’s promotion, and the former Oxford United defender says captain Poole is making encouraging progress ahead of the new campaign.
‘‘Regan is progressing nicely. He’s back out on the grass, which is a really big step in terms of that ACL rehab, and hopefully will progress from that point onwards.”
Cardiff-born Poole joined Pompey last summer on a free transfer from Lincoln City, making 16 appearances for the Fratton Park outfit before injury ended his season prematurely. Prior to joining the club, the 26-year-old made 131 appearances at Lincoln after spells at MK Dons, Northampton Town and Newport County, as well as making a single appearance for Premier League giants Manchester United.
In addition to Poole’s return to the fold, Pompey have made no less than five signings as they look towards the new campaign, including ex-Barnsley defender Jordan Williams and play-off final hero Josh Murphy. Alongside those new names, if Poole can make a difference this season, it will go a long way to helping Portsmouth as they attack the second tier.
Writer’s View
This is unsurprising news; Poole’s injury was a particularly bad one, with knee ligament injuries notorious for their long recovery periods. It’s encouraging, though, that the player looks set to make a full return, although it may be well into the new season judging by what his manager has said.
As cliché as it sounds, Poole’s eventual return will be like a new signing and is sure to provide a welcome boost at Fratton Park whenever it arrives.
