REVEALED: The blueprint for Portsmouth's new head of football operations

And the Blues boss admitted appointing Roberto Gagliardi’s successor is going to be critical to the club’s future.

Gagliardi’s exit at the end of the month was confirmed this week, just five months after being permanently confirmed in the position.

Now the process of finding his successor is underway, with the new appointment taking a key role in shaping the path forward for Pompey.

That includes overseeing strategy and development when it comes to recruitment, performance, sports science, coaching, analysis and the club’s academy.

Chief executive Andy Cullen will lead the search with Cowley’s input, but the Pompey boss is clear on what’s required.

He said: ‘For us, of course we are sad to see Roberto go, but when one door shuts another opens.

‘It creates a great opportunity and it’s a pivotal role.

‘We have to make sure we recruit the very best we can have in that role.

‘We need someone who’s full of energy and full of enthusiasm, who has a clear vision and work ethic to fulfil that vision.

‘Ultimately, it’s a strategic and leadership role - so it’s about driving the strategy of the football department and improving the provisions which support the academy.

‘That’s whether it’s the academy, the performance aspect of the club, the sports science, coaching or analysis departments - and obviously the recruitment area.

‘So all of these provisions they need to affect, they need to lead the head of department in each of these provisions and be there to support them.’

With such a far-reaching role, Cowley knows the process of getting in the right person will be of paramount importance to Pompey.

The 43-year-old is keep an open mind over who the ideal candidate could be, however.

He added: ‘We’d like the best person available to Portsmouth Football Club.

‘I’m absolutely open minded about it.

‘I have full confidence in Andy and his staff to recruit really well in that area.

‘We want to find someone with the energy and enthusiasm and work ethic, so we can have real alignment.

‘Ultimately, we want the self-awareness to know where we’re at today and vision of where we want to go.

‘It’s a really important role, particularly with where we are as a football club.

‘We’re in a transitional period and have loads of gains to makes.

‘There’s loads of areas for improvement in these provisions, to keep maximising the players we have in the building.

‘For us, it’s really exciting and I’m looking forward to seeing how it unfolds.

‘We would like to appoint in that area sooner rather than later, for sure, because we’d like to get that person in and get working with him - because we have a very important summer in front of us.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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