Chapter 1: What recent achievements has Terry Devlin accomplished?
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Terry Devlin has been named in the Sky Bet Championship Team of the Week following a fine showing against Blackburn. The versatile Northern Ireland international, who has mostly been utilised at right-back this season, shone at both ends of the pitch in the Fratton Park victory.
Goals from Callum Lang and Ibane Boat saw the Blues battle from behind to secure all three points and climb out of the bottom three. But it was the performance from Devlin which stood out most, and he was also named in the Team of the Week for the entire EFL.
So congratulations to Terry Devlin. I always think, and I wonder if you agree, that one of the most insightful football crowd chants of all time is Terry Devlin, he plays where he wants. Because it's fun, of course. It praises one of our players, of course.
But also, I think it shows an insight into, and I don't mean to be patronising when I say this, I think it shows the fans' insight into the way John Massino likes to set up a team with as many players in as many appropriate positions as possible, able to adapt during the course of the game and play where they are needed.
and recognise when to change or adjust their positioning skills and senses so that they go from being a right-back to being a right-sided midfield player or, if necessary, shoring up the two central defenders if you're a full-back like Terry Devlin. He doesn't just play where he wants, he plays where he's needed And he's quietly attracting attention.
So we'd better just keep an eye on him and make sure that he's happy. He's a happy bunny. He seems to be pretty well grounded, I think, for a player who has it in him, I feel. Do you agree? to play in the Premier League eventually. He's got the lot. He's adaptable, but his specialist position is a very important one, whatever Roy Keane may have to say about it, or is it Jamie? What's his face?
When they're denigrating Gary Neville, the right-back is a very important position. If you're playing for at the back... So maybe Devlin's versatility will come into its own fully if it is part of John Massino's agenda to, where appropriate, have just three at the back. You may be interested to know, though, that this Skybet Championship Team of the Week is compiled in a very interesting way.
Now, I've never bothered to look into it before. I don't personally set great store in these things, but there's an element of kudos about it. And Terry Devlin will no doubt have appreciated. I've mentioned it in his most recent phone call to his mum or whatever.
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Chapter 2: How does Terry Devlin's versatility benefit the team?
Oxford, yeah. In their 2-1 defeat at Preston. Then you've got Bobby de Cordova-Reed, who got the first. Leicester 3, Ipswich 1. And then you've got Jordan Storey, for Preston, who put Preston in the lead against Oxford. So these are clubs that will welcome any positive publicity, any positive news.
And in order to decide which of the players representing those clubs go on the team sheet for Team of the Week, you pick the goalscorer. which makes Devlin's achievement even greater because that honour could have gone to Lang and it could have, it could just as easily have gone to Bowat. But that's how these things seem to be put together to me.
And however, it doesn't kindle an enormous amount of interest in me. I don't know about yourself, but a little bit of background goes a long way.
Portsmouth hot prospect Tao Singer kept his name in the conversation for a first-team spot by scoring again, though it came as Pompey's under-18s crashed out of the FA Youth Cup against Newcastle United. The 18-year-old striker has had a memorable season so far, scoring on his senior debut against Reading in the Carabao Cup after coming on for the final 20 minutes.
Just a few weeks later, Singer went on his first loan to Pompey's non-league neighbours, Moneyfields, and has been on fire, banging in an impressive 13 goals in 18 games to fuel their promotion charge in the Isthmian League's south-central division. His loan agreement allowed him to link back up with Pompey's youth team for the long trip to the north-east.
After his side went down 2-0 inside seven minutes, it was Singer who gave them a glimmer of hope, pulling one back midway through the first half. Despite the team's eventual 5-2 loss, he was a livewire throughout, constantly troubling the Newcastle backline with his pace and smart movement.
Now the promising forward will head back to Moneyfields to continue his impressive run, with games against Littlehampton and Portchester, on either side of the new year. With his reputation growing by the week, Pompey Academy coach Sam Hudson dismissed any talk of wrapping Singer in cotton wool, instead praising the huge impact he made during the cup tie.
He's a very smart kid. He's got a real good head on his shoulders. I don't think he needs to be protected because he's a good footballer. He's a very good finisher and scores a lot of good goals. He is doing really well on loan, in a men's environment. It's just doing what is right for him and he is a very very smart boy and he is really great to coach.
He's a lovely kid so he doesn't really need protecting we just have to keep putting him into the positions where he can score goals, and him putting himself in those positions, which he does anyway. I am pleased for him that he has continued his scoring streak, he helped us get back into the game, and I was pleased with him.
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