Mousinho eyes better start after last year's struggle

John Mousinho led Portsmouth to Championship survival last season

John Mousinho is targeting a better start to the new season than Portsmouth had last year and says anything could be possible if they achieve that.

Pompey had to wait until their 10th game for their first Championship win of last season. It went on to be their only victory in their opening 14 matches.

Portsmouth spent most of the campaign battling relegation, only managing to secure their Championship survival with two games remaining.

Following that, Mousinho insists that having staying up as their first priority in 2025/26, "is not us being negative" or "shooting too low".

And Portsmouth's head coach told BBC Radio Solent: "What we have to do is make sure that after a very tough campaign last year, we don't put all of that good work and waste it, so to speak.

"That has to be the priority for this football club at this moment in time.

"If we can build upon that and look up, having secured as many points as possible as early as possible, then great.

"If we do manage to get off to a good start and we pick up a few points, then who knows where the season can take us.

"We'll obviously be looking to get off to a bit of a better start this time, if possible, and then go from there and try and build on that.

"And that's quite exciting for us as well. There's plenty of opportunities available for us this season in a tough, tough league."

'Waddingham has had a real impact'

Thomas Waddingham, left, in pre-season action for Portsmouth against Woking

Portsmouth kick things off in 2025/26 with a Championship trip to Oxford on Saturday.

They head into the new season after winning six and drawing one of their seven warm-up matches.

January signing, Australian striker Thomas Waddingham, 20, has caught the eye with four goals in six appearances, and Mousinho said: "He's come back in really good shape.

"He's had a real impact in those pre-season games, scored plenty of goals, looked a real threat.

"More importantly, I think he's fitted into the pace of some of these games, particularly when they have been tough, and that's really pleasing for us."

Last season's 11-goal top league scorer Colby Bishop missed Portsmouth's final three pre-season games after picking up a muscular injury.

Mousinho confirmed the expectation remains that Bishop will miss the first couple of weeks of the season.