‘Hugely important role’: Rich Hughes delivers latest on filling Portsmouth’s 10-month coaching vacancy

Portsmouth sporting director Rich Hughes has confirmed that the club has finally found a successor for the first-team development coach role. The position in manager John Mousinho's backroom staff had been vacant for more than 10 months following the departure of Zesh Rehman in December 2025. Hughes stated that the interview process concluded several weeks ago and an official announcement is expected very shortly.

The development coach position primarily focuses on one-to-one sessions, ball work, and analysis to aid young players. Hughes explained that the delay occurred because the club prioritized the January transfer window and sought a thorough process to find the right candidate. He added that the club's interview panel reached a unanimous decision on the chosen individual.