"A difficult start" - Harry Redknapp delivers Portsmouth, John Mousinho relegation prediction | OneFootball

Portsmouth are aiming to stay in the Championship after gaining promotion last season

Harry Redknapp has backed John Mousinho to steer Portsmouth to Championship survival this season.

Mousinho’s side have made a difficult start to life back in the second division following their promotion from League One.

Pompey won the third tier title, earning their return to the Championship for the first time since 2012.

But a difficult run of fixtures to start the campaign have seen them struggle to put points up on the board, failing to win any of their first six fixtures.

Portsmouth will have their sights set on staying up this season, with a long-term view towards potentially returning to the Premier League someday soon.

Harry Redknapp makes Portsmouth survival claim

When asked whether Portsmouth could return to the Premier League someday, Redknapp claimed that their focus this year will be on staying in the second tier.

But he feels they can achieve top flight promotion in the years to come, as he expects Mousinho’s side to survive any relegation threats this year.

“I’d love to say yes, and I hope [they can return to the Premier League],” said Redknapp, when quizzed about Pompey and their manager by James McIntosh.

“Not this year for sure, they’ve got to survive.

“They’ve had a difficult start, but I think they’ll be okay.

“They’ll stay in the division this year, but going forward there’s no reason they can’t get back in there one day.”

Redknapp spent nearly three years as manager at Fratton Park and led the team to their second ever FA Cup triumph in 2008 – their first since the second World War.

He also oversaw 17th, ninth and eighth place finishes in the Premier League prior to moving to Tottenham Hotspur in October 2008.

The 77-year-old has not worked in football management since a 13-game stint with Birmingham City that ended in September 2017.

John Mousinho’s success at Portsmouth

Portsmouth earned their place in League One in 2017, but struggled to convert play-off qualification to promotion back to the Championship, missing out twice under Kenny Jackett.

Mousinho took charge of Pompey as his first ever managerial role following the end of his playing career, and was appointed in January 2023.

In his first full campaign at the club, he led Portsmouth to first place in League One, coming ahead of Derby County to clinch the third division title.

Mousinho will now be hoping to keep the team in the second division beyond just one year, and re-establish the side at this level long-term.

Difficult start for Portsmouth has been a rude awakening

The positivity of finally gaining promotion back to the Championship has been swiftly met with a reality check at Fratton Park.

A difficult run of opening fixtures has seen them play promotion hopefuls Leeds United, Luton Town, Burnley, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, West Brom and Sheffield United in their opening seven games.

Their fixture list does get a bit easier in the coming weeks, but they will still need to improve their performances to start picking up valuable points.

A couple of wins before the October international break would be huge for keeping them away from the relegation zone, as the table is still so tight at this early stage of the campaign.