Portsmouth defender Regan Poole is eager to recapture the form that saw him represent Wales as his side embarks on its second season back in the Championship, as reported by The News.
The 27-year-old made his international bow against Gibraltar in 2023.
Poole Still Way Off His Best
The defender joined Pompey from Lincoln City in the summer of 2023 and hit the ground running for his new club. Poole’s impressive start to life at Fratton Park saw him earn his first, and so far only, Wales cap in October 2023.
It was shortly after featuring for his country that injury struck, injuring his ACL in Portsmouth’s FA Cup first round match with Chesterfield.
Poole had to watch on as his side claimed the League One title and earned their place in the Championship. It wasn’t until September 2024, after ten months on the sidelines, that he returned to action.
“Was I fully ready last season? I’m not sure, I had been out for such a long time, but I’m just trying to get my body used to the hard work and into as best shape as possible to get back to my best.”
Despite his lengthy layoff, the former Manchester United man was not happy with his level of performance last season.
“My displays last season were nowhere near where I wanted to be.”
As Pompey continues their pre-season preparations with a match against Reading on Saturday, Poole is determined to make up for lost time.
“I’m just glad everyone got to see what I did there, they know what I’m capable of. They know last season I was nowhere near my best, so it’s time to hit this season head-on and get back to that.”
Confident In His Own Ability
Poole may have suffered his injury as a League One player and returned as a Championship footballer looking to regain his fitness, but he insists the step up in quality is not the reason he couldn’t find his best form.
“I know I have gone from League One to the Championship over the last two years, but that’s not the reason why my performances weren’t there. I know I can perform at this level, that wasn’t the issue.”
“It was more me coming back from a long time out, playing a lot of games, never really getting into a rhythm. Confidence was a little low because, as a team, we weren’t performing as a team as well as we could.”
Writer’s View
With a full pre-season under his belt and valuable second-tier experience behind him, Regan Poole will show he can play at this level and his performances will force him back into the Welsh squad.
