Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho admits regret over Bafana Bafana midfielder Luke Le Roux's exit – ‘He could have tried to explore something else’

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho has offered a candid assessment of Luke Le Roux's time at the club, acknowledging that the move ultimately failed to meet expectations for both the player and the team.

The South African international, who arrived with high hopes, recently saw his contract terminated by mutual consent before securing a move to Belgian Pro League outfit Cercle Brugge on a free transfer.

"It didn't work out for Luke over the time he was here," Mousinho told The News, per Soccer Laduma.

"He probably came in during difficult circumstances and could never quite get himself going. He came in late in the window, wasn't quite fit, and, when we did play him, by the time he got into the side we were in that run post the first international break when we weren’t performing particularly well," he added.

Le Roux’s statistics at Portsmouth tell the story of a player who struggled to build momentum, registering just 17 appearances for the Championship club.

His final outing for Pompey came against West Ham United in the EFL Cup earlier this season, but he subsequently found himself on the fringes of the matchday squad.

Mousinho explained that the lack of competitive minutes left Le Roux with a tough choice regarding his immediate future in professional football.

"He could have sat here and been out of the squad for the next four or five months until January - or tried to explore something else," the head coach noted.

Despite the partnership not yielding the desired results on the pitch, Mousinho remains a firm believer in Le Roux's technical ability and character.

The 40-year-old manager emphasised that the failure of the move was more a product of timing and circumstance than a lack of quality from the former Volendam man.

"He's a very, very nice kid and I think he's a good footballer as well."

"If he gets his chance and plays regularly, then he’ll be fine," Mousinho said.

"I'm a bit gutted that it didn't work out for Luke; sometimes it just doesn't [work out] in recruitment."

"That was one we wanted to give an opportunity to. He’ll be a success elsewhere.”

The move to Cercle Brugge represents a significant opportunity for Le Roux to re-establish himself as a prominent figure in European football.

The Belgian side, known for developing talent, provides a platform where the midfielder can expect the regular game time that eluded him at Fratton Park.

As Le Roux settles into his new environment in Belgium, Mousinho’s comments serve as a reminder of the fine margins in professional recruitment and the impact of fitness and timing on a player's trajectory.

While the Fratton Park faithful never saw the best of the 27-year-old, the manager’s parting words suggest that the midfielder still possesses the necessary tools to flourish in a different setting.