Bernard McNally: John Askey has to put a brave face on things at Shrewsbury Town

I think, at times, he has to be the positive one. The players will feed off him. If he’s too disheartened it’s not good for the players. It’s pleasing he feels we will move forward and he has a quiet confidence.

When you’re not getting results you do have to say to players ‘But look how we played’.

I’m sure that’s the tact he’s trying to take with the players – focus on how well we’ve been playing and results will start to come.

The trouble is, you can have all the percentages on possession, corners and shots, but the one that really matters is the result.

John doesn’t need reminding the scoreline is the important stat.

It’s a little worrying we can’t convert that dominance into goals. It’ll be something he’ll be trying to sort out this week.

Sometimes you have to think outside the box. Put somebody else in with pace or something else, change the formation, something different to spark a change.

I’m sure he’s searching within his own thoughts about what will help bring the first win.

Taking on the role at Montgomery Waters Meadow was going to be a nightmare for him.

You’ve had the Lord Mayor’s show last season. Everything seemed to go right and fall into place.

Expectation levels rose, but the squad was ripped apart. It’s such a difficult job to step into. It was a one-off season. Paul Hurst had the Midas touch and a lot of luck.

Someone said to me when I was getting into management ‘What would you rather be, a very good manager or very lucky manager?’

I said ‘A good manager of course’, and he replied ‘See if you say the same in three years!’

After 18 months I discovered I’d rather be lucky.

It’s a thankless task for John. The fans have to realise we’re starting again. Last season lasted nine months, John’s trying to build for two, three, four, five years.

I’m sure that he will get it right and Town will progress.

Saturday will be very, very tough at Fratton Park. Kenny Jackett has got a lot of experience and a good side flying high.

When I played Portsmouth with Shrewsbury and West Brom, it was very difficult. I only remember grinding out one win and that was to stay up on the final day.

Let’s hope Town don’t go there uptight about not winning games. There’s less pressure with no expectation.

You have to be positive as a manager. There’s the old adage that ‘We’ve got a point at the moment’ as we head to Pompey. If we came away with that we’d certainly be the happier of the sides.