Will Still singles out ‘incredible’ Portsmouth man before Southampton clash

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Southampton may be the favourites ahead of Sunday’s much-anticipated derby clash with Portsmouth but, make no mistake, Will Still is not taking the threat of John Mousinho’s visitors lightly.

Pompey have tended to save their best performances for the toughest opponents since returning to the Championship, after all. Portsmouth took four points of eventual league winners Leeds United last season, while holding Burnley to a draw and thrashing play-off semi-finalists Bristol City.

And there is no bigger test than a trip to hated neighbours Southampton.

As Saints and Pompey fans renew rivalries – the two South Coast clubs going head-to-head in league action for the first time since 2012 – and as John Mousinho aims for a first win over Southampton, his opposite number in the home debut is determined to ensure his charges do not underestimate the size or the banana-skin potential of such an occasion.

Speaking to the Daily Echo during his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Will Still could not have been more complimentary about the job Mousinho has done down the road at Fratton Park.

Southampton coach Will Still pays John Mousinho tribute before Portsmouth derby

Portsmouth were stumbling along in 15th in League One when Mousinho was appointed to replace Danny Cowley at the beginning of 2023.

Two and a half years later – and this was his first senior managerial role, remember – Mousinho takes Portsmouth to St Mary’s while looking down at their red-and-white-striped rivals in the Championship standings.

Southampton remain the favourites, but there are currently five places separating the two sides in 7th and 13th.

“I think [Mousinho] has done an incredibly good job, and I think he’s a really interesting person and manager. He’s got his team being hyper-efficient,” Still explains, expecting Portsmouth to make life extremely difficult for his talented but underperforming forwards.

“They are very well-structured and organised. They’ll come here and be hyper-aggressive, hyper-up for the occasion and the game itself.

“But away from the occasion, like you said, they’re actually a good footballing side as well, so it’ll be really interesting.”

Following a hectic final week of the transfer window, Will Still’s squad suddenly looks a lot different now compared to a month or so previously.

Middlesbrough eventually accepted a £12 million bid for Finn Azaz, one of the most talented playmakers in the division. Germany and Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos labels Casper Jander a ‘great German talent’ while the ‘exceptional’ Leo Scienza could emulate James Ward-Prowse in the set-piece department.

Saints make strides to ensure players understand Pompey rivalry

Still, meanwhile, has done plenty of work behind the scenes getting his players – old and new – to understand the magnitude of Sunday’s clash.

Make no mistake, this could be a real ‘thrown in at the deep end’ moment for Azaz, Jander, Scienza and co.

“I think with the help of the club and the people at the club, we’ve set up various things so that the players understand what it means,” the former RC Lens coach adds. “We’ve got ex-players coming in, we’ve got people coming to paint the picture of what this is, what it means to everyone, but also for the newcomers.

“I think we’re putting the right things in the right place to make sure everyone gets it. It means more to the club, it means more to the supporters.

“It’s got to mean more to us as a team as well. We can’t just accept conceding goals, we can’t just accept that we draw, not the standard we want.”

“We want to stop conceding these poor, rubbish goals that we’ve conceded in the first couple of games. So it’s a good moment to play a derby.

“It needs to mean something extra. It needs to mean a bit more, we know that. Hopefully, the players are all fully aware of where we’re going.”