Stuart Pearce has been at the Portsmouth training ground today, working with the club’s defenders as Kenny Jackett’s side continue to struggle in League One.

After a 4th-placed finish last season and lifting the EFL Trophy under Kenny Jackett, Portsmouth were expected to take the next step in the ascend back up the Football League this season, and push for the League One title.

But that’s been far from the case. Jackett’s side are slumped in 17th-place and with every passing fixture, his tenure at Fratton Park becomes more and more under the spotlight.

Though his side have lost just one of their last six in the league, their form hasn't been anywhere near the expectations laid out at the start of the season and if results don’t start to fire them up the table soon, we could well see Jackett out of a job.

It’s been reported today that former Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United and Manchester City defender, Stuart Pearce has been at Pompey’s training ground this morning, as he looks to advise the club’s defenders for their upcoming games in League One.

The verdict

Pearce was a feared defender in his day, and is still hailed in football as both a pundit and as a coach.

He was part of England’s Euro ‘96 squad that reached the semi-finals of the tournament, and his experiences would be beneficial to any footballer today.

Portsmouth are in need of a boost and Pearce could be the man to give the team just that - his knowledge should rub off on the defenders, and they'll hope to put practise into action when they host Oxford United this weekend.

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