Gary O'Neil has revealed that he has been told he is unable to return to his former club Portsmouth, because there are currently no opening at the League One side.
A graduate of Portsmouth's academy, O'Neil made a total of 193 appearances for the club after stepping up to the senior side in 2000, scoring 17 times and helping Pompey win promotion to the Premier League in 2003.
His spell with the club would come to an in August 2007, when he left Fratton Park to join Middlesbrough.
O'Neil is now a free agent following his departure from crisis-hit Bolton Wanderers at the end of last season, and it seems he had made contact with his old club about a potential reunion earlier this year.
Speaking to The Portsmouth News about those discussions, O'Neil - who is keen to continue playing while also considering a move into coaching - said: "I spoke to Kenny (Jackett, Portsmouth manager) briefly about a number of things really, not just about myself, it was never “Will you take me back?”.
"It was to see what was going on and how they were doing."
Explaining the situation he was presented with when he spoke to Jackett, the midfielder added: "People have their own backroom staff unless someone leaves they are never looking to recruit coaching staff.
"Kenny will have his team with him and that’s the way the game is, you always want people you know and have worked with before."
Despite that, it seems O'Neil has not completely given up hopes of a return to Portsmouth, as the 36-year-old continued: "Maybe there’s a chance I can come back and help out with the Academy, even just here and there with bits and pieces. I would love to give a little bit back if there’s an opportunity.
"Our chat was about loads of things, he was speaking to me about certain players I had played with, a football conversation really, not just about me coming back.
"Kenny is a good guy and we get on fairly well, so it wasn’t “Kenny, can I come back please?” and he said no. It was a football chat."
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It has been a difficult start to the season for Portsmouth, who are currently 13th in League One, having won just five of their opening 15 league games this season, putting Jackett under some pressure at Fratton Park.
The Verdict
I'm slightly surprised at this.
Given the situation at Portsmouth at the minute, you do feel as though the return to the club of a popular player such as O'Neil could have helped lift the mood around Fratton Park.
Indeed, when you consider O'Neil's experience, and the fact that he was named Bolton's Player of the Year in such difficult circumstances in the Championship last season, suggests he could still have done a job for Pompey.
With Jackett seemingly under some pressure at Portsmouth at the minute, you do have to wonder slightly whether the situation here could change for O'Neil at some point in the near future, if Jackett was to find himself out of a job at Pompey.