Reading-loanee frontman Jordan Obita spoke to the Chichester Observer ahead of his side's League One match against Carlisle at Brunton Park tomorrow, the 18-year old hoping for a promotion from the substitutes bench after earning Pompey a late point at Colchester on Tuesday evening:
“Of course I’d like to start at Carlisle but if I don’t then it’s up to me to make an impact if I get the chance as a substitute and keep impressing when I can. In my previous loans – at Barnet I was on the bench a lot but at Gillingham I started most games. Now it’s up to me to impress the manager here. You can’t just come in a few hours before a game and expect to start. I’m new and I’m young so I know I have to prove myself to everyone here. It’s up to me to show what I can do.
“I can play on the left, right, off the striker or up front and I’m happy to play any of those positions. I don’t know how long I’ll be here but we will have to see where things are with Reading at the end of the month. It’ll depend if they want me back but it’s a great club here and I might be able to stay longer. There is a fresh feel about the club. Everyone has made me feel welcome and everyone wants to do well."
Portsmouth’s only absentee tomorrow is central midfielder Lee Williamson who misses the match having picked up a grade one hamstring tear in Pompey’s 2-2 draw at Colchester on Tuesday night. Boss Michael Appleton denied the chance to sign centre-half Josh Thompson on loan from Celtic this week as temporary cross-border signings are only allowed from one transfer window to another, while Portsmouth can only register players on one month deals at the moment.
21-year old Thompson having trained with Pompey for the last three weeks, and featured in a couple of pre-season friendlies, in anticipation of his transfer to the south coast. The final bit of player news for the visitors, who trained at Crewe this afternoon on their long journey north, being that former Stoke City midfielder Tom Soares remains on trial at Fratton Park as he looks to pick up some form of contract at the stricken club.
That therefore tomorrow leaving Portsmouth with 16 available professionals, one of whom is former Carlisle trialist Kevin Long, as follows:
Goalkeepers – Mikkel Andersen and Simon Eastwood.
Defenders – Paul Connolly, Mustapha Dumbaya, Jon Harley, Kevin Long and Adam Webster.
Midfielders – Connor Clifford, Jack Compton, Kieran Djilali, Ashley Harris, Brian Howard ©, Jordan Obita and Liam Walker.
Forwards – Izale McLeod and Luke Rodgers.
The referee for tomorrow afternoon’s match is Eddie Ilderton from Shiremoor, Tyne & Wear and he will be assisted down the lines by Jonathan Hunt from Liverpool and Chris Kavanagh from Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester. Meanwhile the fourth official is Martin Coy from Darlington.