Portsmouth have to ramp up succession planning for star man this summer: View | OneFootball

Marlon Pack has been outstanding for Portsmouth this season.

The Pompey captain has scored three goals and contributed eight assists to his side, who are five points clear at the top of League One and in pole position to win promotion to the Championship.

Pack turns 33 in less than two weeks, meaning he's coming towards the back end of his career.

This isn't to suggest he's finished. In fact, the way he's playing this season, he looks anything but.

FC Porto centre-back Pepe, aged 41, proved on Tuesday night that age is just a number with an immense performance at the heart of defence for 120 minutes against Arsenal in the Champions League.

If Portsmouth were playing in the Championship next season, having Pack would be a huge asset for them as he has 268 second tier appearances to his name across his career.

However, in a 46-game season, the extra pace of the Championship may well catch up with him at some point.

John Mousinho will most likely be looking to strengthen his midfield at the end of the season, partly to take the pressure off Pack.

The importance of promotion for Portsmouth

Should Portsmouth get promoted, it will allow them to ramp up their search for a successor to Pack.

Pack's contract runs out in the summer, but the way he's playing paired with his experience at that level, Pompey will surely be considering offering him a new short-term contract.

But whatever happens, the engine room is somewhere Mousinho will look to – whether aiming to replace Pack if he leaves, or mould in his successor by allowing them to play with him for one or two years.

Whatever happens, it's imperative Portsmouth look at this area of the pitch.

At every level, replacing such an important player who is the wrong side of 30 always needs to be done.

Let's take Manchester City and Pep Guardiola as an example. After all, they're the team who are dominating English football and set the example for all 92 teams in the EFL.

When Guardiola signed Rodri in 2019, he played three seasons alongside club legend Fernandinho.

After needing that initial settling in period, taking it in turns with the Brazilian to play in holding midfield, Rodri was eventually ready to not just replace him, but take on extra responsibility.

Of course, City and Portsmouth are in different positions in the pyramid, but Mousinho can definitely relate to Guardiola's predicament.

Pack doesn't have the legs he once had

In one of the greatest nights in the history of Bristol City in December 2017, when the Robins beat Manchester United 2-1 in the EFL Cup quarter-final, Pack was outstanding.

Coming up against £90m Paul Pogba, he played right on him all night and won his battle in the middle of the park.

At the time, Pack was 26. Now almost 33, he will have to adapt his game once more as he comes up against a better standard of player.

While he won't be up against players of Pogba's ilk, he may find it hard coming up against a top quality Championship midfielder because of that lack of legs and ability to get around the park as he once did – the key attributes that helped him win his battle against the French World Cup winner.

He won't be able to rely on his legs as much at 33, but he will have to use his head more and that aspect of Pack's game will be crucial if he's stepping back up a level. Younger, more fresh players could certainly learn a lot from him in this regard, stepping in to deputise for him over a long season.

In terms of getting around the pitch as he used to, that's where he needs replacing long-term.

Pack's 'unfinished business'

It would be a fairytale return to the Championship for Pack, who came through and started his career at Portsmouth.

In January 2023, he told Sky Sports: "It was always going to be hard for me to turn down, just because of the emotional pull of being my local team, being where I grew up, being a Portsmouth fan from when I was a kid.

"They kind of had one over me in that respect and I've always said, for me, there was unfinished business here.

"Sometimes, the idea of coming back to your local team is better than the reality of it, but there was always that ambition and desire to pull on a Pompey shirt again because when I did come through, I feel I didn't play enough games before leaving."

That unfinished business could be attended to next season should Pompey return to the Championship.

If the club offer him a new contract, then it will be a dream come true to play back at that level for his local club.

What's important is that he will need the pressure taking off him, meaning Mousinho needs to bolster his options in midfield if, indeed, the club look like they are preparing for second-tier football once again.