Richard Hughes

Midfield becoming intense.

Yeah, midfield is obviously our biggest need, was our biggest need this past summer, but Richard Hughes' ego screwed it up.

Simply screwed it up.

Deal close.

It's no different, but if anything, it's tougher doing that because you have to make decisions sometimes in split seconds and that kind of stuff.

The whole thing with this, obviously Richard Hughes, where people are saying that Obviously, after the scum game, I think you could probably ask a lot of Pompey fans, and they would think Richard Hughes and Moose are sort of shitting their jobs and that kind of stuff.

And then, like, what, three games later down the line, like, what was he said with Richard Hughes and his recruitment? Like, I bet after the scum game, people said it's a disaster.

Yeah.

Because we're down by the relegation zone.

I don't know, but I don't think a club, I don't think Pompey, and I don't think any club, maybe there are some that would, would be keeping a player out of the team in certain games just in case somebody makes a big bid for him.

that could happen I could see from a business point of view why you might but I don't think John Messina would have any of that I don't think he you know I think if if he wanted to play Terry Devlin in six games in a row in December for example Richard Hughes or Andy Cullen said to him can you just play him in three of those six just don't want to overdo it in case Rexon offer eight million pound for him which is clearly what he's worth by the way I don't think the manager would stand for any of that, to be honest.

So I do think that the manager will want to protect the more injury-prone players.

And that's why he's been talking about Shaughnessy not coming back into the squad until after the next international break, which is in the middle of November, when he might actually be... available to come back a little bit before that he doesn't want to rush him because of the number of setbacks he's had I think he'll probably be the same with Murphy I think they have been quite protective of Murphy this season because they maybe asked a little bit too much of him at times last season that's why they lost him for a while talk of Murphy I think coming back into the squad at Burnley on the 31st you know, which in John Massino's language probably means he'd be on the bench against Mill Hall on Saturday.

So he's not the one.

But if it doesn't happen, and David Lynch is right, who are you blaming this time? Because you can't blame Richard Hughes, can you? Like Julian Ward's had all that time to plan as well.

So that comes into the mix.

But...

He's been flawless, absolutely flawless again today.

for all of the um that like the likes of richard hughes and um edwards rightfully took the idea that we were able to snare him in january before someone inevitably somebody like psg came in and got him because most of those products from like chelsea were

close to getting them they we stole

a march on them they were yeah they thought they were getting yeah But I think we're kind of set up in that position for a good number of years now, hopefully.