Portsmouth manager clear ex-Irish League star 'has to claim credit' for progress after scoring brace
Portsmouth manager John Mousinho insists Northern Ireland’s Terry Devlin deserves all the credit for taking his game to another level after continuing his fine form by scoring a brace in Tuesday’s 3-1 Championship win over Swansea.
Former Dungannon Swifts and Glentoran ace Devlin swept the club’s Player of the Year awards last term and has started the current season in similar form, bringing his goal tally to four in 13 league matches.
The 22-year-old, who has once again been named in Michael O’Neill’s squad for Nations League fixtures against Ukraine and Hungary later this month, opened the scoring at Fratton Park before restoring his side’s advantage in injury time.
Devlin also struck an equaliser against Wolves last month, meaning he has scored three times in his last three starts for Pompey.
He was dropped to the bench for Portsmouth’s previous outing away to Burnley on October 31 but recalled from the start on Tuesday to superb effect.
After initially having to bide his time for an opportunity to shine after arriving from the Glens in 2023, Devlin has developed into one of Pompey’s most important players and reportedly attracted transfer interest from Wrexham last season.
While Mousinho has provided Devlin with the platform, the Portsmouth boss insists the Cookstown native deserves all the praise for seizing his chance.
"Terry has to claim credit for that, Terry’s the one who has done the work,” Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent. “As coaches we’re here to facilitate that.
"When somebody improves to that level like Terry has done, I’ve spoken about it time and time again, when he sweeps the Player of the Year awards last season, that’s nothing we’ve done.
"We put everything out there for him but he’s the one grafting away every single day, not just on the pitch but off it in terms of his physicality and keeping himself sharp.
"That’s credit for Terry, and also for keeping his head.
"I always knew he would but he played very well against Wolves, scored the equaliser, played very well against Millwall and then found himself out of the team against Burnley.
"He kept going and all of a sudden he’s finding his rewards here.”