admin‘He’s ready’: New Portsmouth attacking starlet set for Sheffield Wednesday after whirlwind arrival
A deadline day arrival, international football and a late south-coast derby involvement. It’s been a crazy period for Makenzie Kirk – but is he ready for Sheffield Wednesday with Thomas Waddingham out? Pompey boss John Mousinho discusses his situation.
Makenzie Kirk is ready to be thrust into the Championship after a frantic Fratton Park arrival.
John Mousinho has backed the promising new attacking addition to be ready to feature against Sheffield Wednesday if called upon, following a frenetic period in the prolific young striker’s career.
Emerging marksman ready for Sheffield Wednesday
Kirk’s deadline day capture from St Johnstone was the precursor to a dizzying time for the 21-year-old, as he went off on international duty to Georgia in Northern Ireland under-21’s 1-1 European Under-21 Championship qualifier.
The striker then went back north of the border to action his move to PO4 and bring his belongings to the area, before linking up with the first-team group on the eve of the south-coast derby with Southampton.
With Thomas Waddingham injured, Mousinho had no hesitation in throwing the St Johnstone arrival on to the bench at St Mary’s Stadium.
Likewise, the Pompey boss made it clear he would have thrown the Edinburgh lad into action if he felt some additional attacking quality was required.
Now the Blues return to Fratton Park this weekend, with Mousinho happy to turn to the talent, who fired in goals for Hearts at academy level before hitting eight finishes in the Scottish Premier League last term for his struggling side.
Mousinho said: ‘Makenzie joined the group Saturday. He’d been away on international duty and then moved all his stuff down from Scotland on Thursday.
‘We got him back in the building on Friday and he settled in really quickly, so he pottered up to the hotel and we launched him into the squad for the south-coast derby!
‘We looked at the situation and thought we needed a centre-forward on the bench. It didn’t necessarily feel like the right situation to launch Makenzie into, but if we were a goal down and chasing a game he’d be the sort of player you’d stick on, say “just go and do something” and see what happens.
‘It was a nice introduction for him, I’m sure he was pleasantly surprised to be introduced to English football that way. That’s why we signed him in the first place, we would never have had him on the bench in the first place if we didn’t think he’s ready.
‘A couple of really good players missed out on a place on the bench and a couple were at home as well. We made the decision we wanted a centre-forward there.’
Frustration for Thomas Waddingham
While life is revolving quickie for Kirk as he joins his new club, it’s a more frustrating period for Waddingham after he was dealt a new fitness setback.
The Aussie was viewed as Colby Bishop’s deputy going into the season, but is struggling with a quad issue at present. Waddingham has dealt with groin and hamstring issues in his time at Pompey, despite moving up the striker pecking order.
Mousinho added: ‘He picked up a quad injury in training. Tom has had, I guess, a bit of a chequered time with us with injuries at the minute.
‘When he’s been playing he’s been really good and has been Colby’s deputy towards the back end of last season and this year as well.
‘He put himself ahead of a couple of other names to be the second choice centre-forward and starting games as well. So the injury was why he wasn’t in the squad at the weekend and we have to see about that.’
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