"The thing about John Mousinho" - Exclusive: Lee Hendrie fires clear Portsmouth FC warning | OneFootball

Lee Hendrie spoke exclusively to Football League World about Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho

Sky Sports pundit and former Aston Villa defender Lee Hendrie has warned Portsmouth of the prospect of losing impressive head coach John Mousinho this summer.

Mousinho took his first steps into the dugout with Pompey back in January 2023 and ended the club's 12-year exile from the Championship in his first full season in charge last time out, as they went up from League One as champions following numerous failed promotion attempts.

Naturally, Portsmouth have endured a mixed stay back in the Championship this season. Their opening fixture schedule bore a baptism of fire as Pompey were left in the midst of a relegation battle following early-season tests against the likes of Leeds United, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion, Burnley and Sheffield United.

Results have picked up overall, though, and a run of four victories from five - including wins over Leeds and relegation rivals in Cardiff City and Oxford United - across February and the start of March propelled Pompey to a ten-point margin from the relegation zone.

But that gap has since slipped to just four points, with the likes of Cardiff and Derby County both picking up wins this weekend, following consecutive defeats to bottom-placed Plymouth Argyle and Preston North End.

Portsmouth are back in a battle to remain in the Championship this season. However, Mousinho still has his backers and, according to Hendrie, the south coast side should worry about the 38-year-old being prized away from Fratton Park.

Lee Hendrie's John Mousinho, Portsmouth FC verdict

Hendrie spoke exclusively to Football League World prior to Saturday afternoon's 2-1 defeat at Preston about Mousinho and Portsmouth.

While Portsmouth may not be safe under Mousinho quite just yet, Hendrie has warned that he believes the Pompey boss will have earned admirers for putting the team in a good position to achieve survival despite working on a low budget.

In Hendrie's view, that factor will "appeal" to rival clubs. Portsmouth may fear losing star winger Josh Murphy, for example, but retaining Mousinho has also been claimed as a top priority.

"John Mousinho is another one who has had a brilliant season, a real tough start to the campaign finding his feet coming out of League One, having been absolutely brilliant," Hendrie told FLW.

"He's got a lot of credit at the club for where he's taken them, season after season they got so close under different managers and then he's come in to steer the ship forward. It's been unbelievable.

"They've found that little bit of form, it looks like they're going to be safe this season through having a recent good run of form.

"That's down to him getting a togetherness. I think losing games and then giving time in the Championship is difficult, which he deserved. They stuck with him and they're getting the end result now. It's brilliant to see.

"The problem is when you don't have a high budget, other clubs do look at what success you've achieved and how you've managed to continue on the way you have under a minimal spend.

"I think that appeals to a lot of clubs.

"That will be the thing about John Mousinho. Hopefully Portsmouth stay up and give him the resources to invest next season because it's a massive club that can certainly go forward with its potential and that push from above,"

Portsmouth FC's remaining Championship fixtures

Portsmouth are still separated from 22nd-placed Derby by four points and four places, meaning they are not necessarily likely to drop straight back down into the third-tier.

However, it's a threat which has been amplified over the last week after Portsmouth worked hard to put breathing space between themselves and the bottom three for much of the campaign. They're back in the mix now, but can look forward to arguably a more favourable fixture list than many of their relegation rivals, such as Cardiff and Oxford.

Pompey only have one of the division's current top-six left to face in Frank Lampard's Coventry City, whom they defeated 4-1 at Fratton Park back in December.

Matches against mid-table opposition who have little to play for in the likes of Sheffield Wednesday and Millwall could work in Portsmouth's favour, while much will be made of their clashes against Derby and Hull City on the final day and they may just fancy all three points following the international break at home to a Blackburn Rovers side which has been successively defeated by three relegation-threatened sides in Cardiff, Stoke City and Derby.

Keeping Portsmouth in the Championship, though, would represent an impressive achievement for Mousinho, who could well see his own list of admirers grow as a result. That's exactly what Pompey may worry about come the summer.