John Mousinho: Portsmouth appoint Oxford United player-coach as head coach

John Mousinho becomes the seventh permanent manager at Portsmouth in the past 10 years

Portsmouth have appointed Oxford United player-coach John Mousinho as their new head coach on a "long-term contract".

It is the 36-year-old's first managerial role since gaining his pro licence last year.

The appointment comes after Portsmouth sacked former head coach Danny Cowley on 2 January following a run of nine League One games without a win.

Ex-Burton, Stevenage, Wycombe and Brentford defender Mousinho made eight appearances for Oxford this season.

"The club and I are share similar ambitions and we're focused on delivering the short and long-term success that the supporters here deserve," Mousinho, who will be standing down from his role as chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association players' board following his appointment, told the club website.

"After meeting with Andrew Cullen (chief executive) and Richard Hughes (sporting director), I really bought into the process and am pleased that the club have also bought into me, giving me this fantastic opportunity.

"I want our team to play on the front foot, with aggressive and attacking football that will win games and entertain the fans."

'John possesses real leadership and motivational skills'

John Mousinho (right) earned his pro-licence to coach last year and has made a number of appearances for Oxford United this season

Lead professional development phase coach Zesh Rehman and goalkeeping coach Joe Prodomo will support Mousinho for Pompey's game with Exeter City at Fratton Park on Saturday, with caretaker manager Simon Bassey leaving the club.

Portsmouth say they will appoint an experienced coach to work alongside Mousinho as he aims to lead the club up from their current position of 15th in League One.

"John possesses real leadership and motivational skills - evidenced by his position as captain at a number of clubs and election as PFA chairman," said Cullen.

"A Uefa Pro Licence holder, he has a clear vision and an identity he wants to bring to Pompey and is comfortable working with Rich Hughes within the new football structure that has been put in place to deliver our short, medium and long-term goals.

"I am a firm believer that to achieve success, you must possess an open-minded approach. By simply doing the same things again and again, we only reduce the prospect of propelling the club forward.

"That is why our head coach search embodied speaking to a wide and diverse range of candidates and why we also now have a sporting director to deliver progress across all our football operations."

Mousinho's last appearance as a player came as a late substitute for Oxford United in their 2-1 FA Cup first-round win over Woking in November.

He has played 550 games in an 18-year career that began at Brentford and seen him play for six other English Football League sides, ending with a five-and-a-half-year spell at Oxford.

"He has made no secret of his wish to step up and become a manager," Oxford boss Karl Robinson told his club's website.

"We have helped him along his career path like we do with all of our staff, and and he is joining a great club where I am sure he will do well.

"We look forward to seeing him again later in the season when we play Portsmouth and I know he will get a tremendous welcome back from the fans."

Analysis

BBC Radio Solent's Portsmouth commentator Andrew Moon

Supporters have had 24 hours to digest the shock news that John Mousinho was to be the new Portsmouth head coach.

Although he probably hasn't seen any of the reaction on Twitter as he swiftly deleted his account on Thursday morning.

It's clear that he's an intelligent and articulate individual with all his coaching badges, but anyone making the step up from coach to being the main man will tell you nothing can quite prepare you for stepping into the dugout for the first time.

He'll take over a side on a worrying three-and-a-half-month slide, with a fanbase getting increasingly frustrated with being stuck in League One.

Supporters will be hoping he can have an immediate impact, despite getting just one training session with the squad before his first match.

There's still time left in the transfer window, although it would appear sporting director Richard Hughes will have final say over transfers.