Pack: Portsmouth Players ‘Tried Too Hard’ During Winless Start

Portsmouth captain Marlon Pack, who has started 12 of Portsmouth’s 15 league matches, stated that the extended period without a win at the beginning of the season caused players to “try too hard” in their desperate pursuit of a first victory. Speaking on a special edition of BBC Radio Solent’s “Who Needs Mourinho?” podcast, Pack noted that the initial run of nine winless matches intensified the pressure. The midfielder articulated the difficulty of playing without emotion at the football club, saying, “It’s hard for me at this football club to try and play without any emotion.” He further explained how the strong determination to win can sometimes lead to misguided actions: “Sometimes your decision on when to press is not on but you’re just so determined to win. You end up… not playing out of character… but you try a little bit too hard instead of having a bit more focus and believing in what you’re trying to do.” The 33-year-old was subsequently excluded from the Pompey starting XI following the defeat by Cardiff, a decision he had few complaints about. Pack commented on the natural desire of a footballer to play every game: “Naturally as a footballer you should be wanting to play every game and when you’re not playing you should be disappointed.” However, he conceded that a change was necessary, adding, “But something did have to change. The gaffer had every right to try and find a winning formula.” Pack disclosed that the squad was initially surprised when the relatively inexperienced John Mousinho was appointed head coach at Fratton Park in January 2023. Despite this, they have since been impressed by his pragmatism and approachability. He praised Mousinho’s adaptable leadership, stating, “Some managers can be so stubborn and fixated on their ideology and style of play but you’ve got to win games of football. Sometimes this year we’ve had to look a bit more short term.” Pack also highlighted Mousinho’s collaborative approach: “We’ve had conversations at times this season where he’s pulled the experienced lads in and said ‘what do you think?’ That’s a huge strength as ultimately we are the players on the pitch.” During an interview at Portsmouth’s training ground with Chris Wise and Andy Moon, Mousinho mentioned that he could envision Pack as a future manager of Portsmouth, though Pack himself expressed some uncertainty. Regarding a potential managerial career, Pack remarked, “I’ve got 3 kids, I’ve seen what it (management) does to people but I have a huge passion for the game.” He also acknowledged the significant effort required, stating, “I’m under no illusions that I’d need to do the hard graft and work my way up. I definitely want to stay in the game and give something back to the football club.” Pack has recently been assisting with coaching his 10-year-old son’s team. He described the experience, saying, “It’s hard because I’m passionate so I’m drawing up sessions and watching his games back. It’s hard being a parent and being in football, half the time my son just wants me to be his dad!”