Former Swansea City manager Kenny Jackett believes he has a future Wales star on his hands in Dion Donohue.
Jackett – now in charge at promotion-chasing League One club Portsmouth – believes Anglesey-born Donohue, 24, will soon be ready for full international honours.
Raised in the village of Bodedern, Donohue, signed for Pompey from Chesterfield at the start of the season and has impressed in his debut campaign, making 32 appearances so far, mainly at left back.
His manager, former Swansea, Millwall and Wolves boss Jackett, told S4C’s Mwy o Sgorio that the Fratton Park faithful have taken to the ex-Everton academy prospect.
Jackett said: “He’s done very well, he’s had a good season. He’s popular with the supporters and he’s well thought of at the club, by the players and the staff.
“He played quite a few different positions before coming to us but he’s mainly settled down into the left back position. He has a fantastic left foot and a very good delivery, and that’s been a key part in some of our good play this year.
“We’re pleased to have signed him. I also feel that he has the right attitude to keep improving in the future.
“Getting into the Wales squad has to be his aim. There are other players from the third tier, like Tom Lockyer from Bristol Rovers, who the national team have had a look at. Dion has to just concentrate on Portsmouth, work as hard as he can, make sure he soaks up all that information, learning from games and working on his fitness.
“He has a lot of natural qualities. He’s got a very good delivery and he’s a good athlete, with good eye for the right pass at the right time. His longer term objective should be to get into the national side and there’s no reason why he can’t do it, particularly at a club the size of this.”
With the south coast outfit currently occupying seventh place in the League One table, hopes of promotion are still alive and well among expectant Pompey supporters. And although now a regular fixture in the side, Donohue admits that it took him a while to get used to playing at a packed out Fratton Park week in, week out.
The former Caernarfon Town player said: “Portsmouth is one of the biggest clubs in the league.
“The fan base is unbelievable. We get 18,000 here every week, so to make the step from playing in front of 6,000-7,000 [at Chesterfield], to this, is a bit of a jump.
“There’s a lot of pressure when you come here and you have to deal with that pressure. But once you’ve over that everything becomes easier.
“Kenny knows what he’s doing and we’ve got to play the teams around us in the last few games, so we’ve got a big month ahead of us now.”
And as for any contact from the Wales camp?
“No one has spoken to me yet,” added Donohue. “We all saw them in the Euros, and it’s a tough job getting into the squad at the moment.
“It would mean everything to me to wear that red shirt. Everyone wants to play for their country growing up, so it would be nice to get the phone call! I just have to concentrate on playing well for Portsmouth.”
Watch Malcolm Allen’s interview with Dion Donohue and Kenny Jackett on S4C’s Mwy o Sgorio, at 6.30pm on Wednesday evening. To watch the show any time on demand, visit s4c.cymru.
