Blackpool have signed former Portsmouth winger Sammy Silvera on loan from Middlesbrough for the remainder of the season.
Following the early end to his stint at Fratton Park, The News' Pompey reporter Neil Allen shares his thoughts on the Australian international.
Following the early end to his stint at Fratton Park, The News' Pompey reporter Neil Allen shares his thoughts on the Australian international.
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00:00So, of course, you've seen a lot of Blackpool's new signing in the last few months. Tell us
00:05what he's like and why things haven't worked out at Portsmouth for him.
00:09Basically, he's a really nice lad, very bubbly around the place, always smiling, good around
00:15the squad. And he's had a tough time at Pompey, but it's never got him down particularly,
00:20he's just carried on. And it hasn't worked out. And it's a shame because a year earlier,
00:26Pompey had looked at signing him from Australia and Middlesbrough beat them to him. And when
00:34Middlesbrough, last year he played in the Championship, played 37 games in the Championship,
00:39started 12 games, I think he scored seven goals as well. So it was a decent first season
00:43in the Championship and Middlesbrough offered them to Pompey because they knew the background
00:48and what they looked at him before. So Pompey said, yes, great, we'll bring him on board.
00:54And it just hasn't worked out. I think he's started one game since September, in and out
01:01with a couple of injuries, sometimes he's dropped from the squad completely. And it's
01:06been a huge, huge disappointment, unfortunately.
01:08Obviously, he seems like a player with a lot of skill, a lot of pace can run down the wings.
01:13Is it his final product that has been the issue for him?
01:17Yeah, probably that probably had the spell of trying him as a number 10. And during three
01:24seasons while they tried that, they play him on the left as well. He's definitely got pace.
01:29There's something about him, he's definitely got ability. There's a, there's another Pompey
01:34player that's left in the last few weeks, in the last week or so, called Elias Sorensen,
01:38he came from Denmark and he's five months later, he's gone. And he was dreadful, absolutely
01:43shocking, apart from scoring on the opening day of the season, at least. But Silverio
01:48has something about him, there's ability there without any question. He's skillful, he's
01:54lively, he's quick, good technique. There's something there, but they haven't got it out
02:02of him. There's been no consistency, final ball is always an issue, but it just hasn't
02:07sparkled in the games he's been used and quite quickly it disappeared from the, if the first
02:13team set up really, went on the bench and then out of nowhere had his first game for
02:18months at Bristol City. And he got an adverse reception from the fans, which was very harsh.
02:23And subsequently he's never played again and was returned to Middlesbrough.
02:27Yeah, how tough was that watching on, obviously getting chants from the fans against you,
02:32how tough would that have been for him?
02:35Oh yeah, awful. There's a group of fans chanting, send him back, send him back and booed him
02:41when he came off. And it must be pointed out, it was a minority, a very small minority
02:46of fans. The vast, vast majority of Pompey fans afterwards condemned what was said to
02:53the player. Pompey fans like to think of themselves as being very supportive of their players,
02:57backing them to the hilt. And there were really, a lot were really annoyed and upset that he
03:03received that reaction because it's not what Pompey fans usually do. So there was a bit
03:09of a backlash against those who did it, which was good to see really. And the manager came
03:14out and also said he was disappointed in the fans doing that. But it was very much a minority.
03:20And yeah, it was very uncomfortable because he was trying his best. It wasn't going for
03:24him. It started after an awful cross on the left, I think, do you remember, which went
03:28out for a throw in. So he wasn't going his way. But it was his first start for a few
03:33months. He was obviously rusty, but he was the one who was picked on and it clearly hasn't,
03:39he hasn't performed for Pompey. But it was very uncomfortable hearing that reaction to
03:44him during a game.
03:46Just finally, obviously short snippets on what he can do at Middlesbrough in the Championship.
03:50But could dropping down to League One for a few months during the World of Go do you
03:53think the ability he's got?
03:55Yeah, he just needs game, doesn't he? He needs to build his confidence. He wasn't at it for
04:02the Championship level for Pompey this season. But he's impressed Middlesbrough fans by all
04:06accounts when it emerged that he would be going back to Middlesbrough, probably a few
04:10weeks ago it came out, their fans were perfectly prepared to welcome him back. They still respect
04:15him. So he has done well in the Championship. You'd imagine now this is a chance for him
04:21to rebuild, reboot, get his confidence up and try to impress at League One level. It's
04:26a great opportunity for him. Presumably he'll be regularly involved. So he'll be giving
04:31the stage to shine. So good luck to the lad. It just didn't work out at Pompey. And that's
04:35what happens in football, isn't it? Not every transfer works out. Pompey had high hopes.
04:42They're absolutely delighted to get him on board. And as a result, he's gone back and
04:47they're still looking to strengthen that position he should have held. So, yeah, it's not worth
04:51for anyone. That happens. Move on. But very best of luck to the lad.