Bradford City Boss Explains Hayden Matthews’ Shock Absence After Pompey Loan Move

 

Bradford City head coach Graham Alexander has explained why Portsmouth loanee Hayden Matthews was surprisingly left out of the squad for Saturday’s League One victory over Notts County.

 

The Australian centre-back, who joined Bradford City from Portsmouth on a season-long loan during the summer transfer window, had been expected to feature after making his latest appearance in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup victory over Leyton Orient.

 

However, Matthews was not included in Bradford’s 20-man matchday squad for the weekend fixture, despite having made a promising start to his time at Valley Parade.

 

The decision came as something of a surprise, particularly because the defender had been involved in three matches across all competitions since completing his temporary move away from Fratton Park. Bradford have also enjoyed an excellent opening to the League One campaign and moved up to third place in the standings following their latest victory.

 

Alexander, though, has made it clear that Matthews’ omission was not related to his performances. Instead, the Bradford boss explained that he was faced with difficult selection decisions because of the strength and fitness of his squad.

 

The Bantams made 10 changes from the side that defeated Leyton Orient in midweek, with Matthews among five players who were completely left out of the matchday squad.

 

Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds after the win, Alexander stressed that the players who had featured in the previous league game had done nothing wrong. His decision was largely based on giving other members of the squad an opportunity while also ensuring he had enough options available to deal with different situations during the match.

 

Alexander admitted that selecting the team and, particularly, deciding which players would make up the substitutes’ bench was extremely difficult.

 

He explained that he spent considerable time considering his options and changed his selection several times before settling on the final squad. With several players carrying minor knocks and others capable of operating in multiple positions, the Bradford boss wanted to select a group that would provide sufficient cover across as many areas of the pitch as possible.

 

The manager also highlighted the importance of versatility, suggesting that players who can comfortably operate in more than one position naturally become more valuable because they provide a team with greater tactical flexibility.

 

Alexander was particularly honest about the emotional side of leaving five players out of the squad, admitting that it was not an easy decision to make.

 

He said he felt uncomfortable informing the players that they would not be involved, while also asking those left out to remain patient and continue working hard so they would be ready when another opportunity comes their way.

 

For Matthews, the absence is therefore not considered a setback or a reflection of his performances since joining Bradford. The defender remains part of a highly competitive squad and will now have to continue pushing for another opportunity.

 

Portsmouth sanctioned the loan move before the summer transfer window closed as manager John Mousinho looked to reduce the number of central defenders available at Fratton Park.

 

Matthews, who reportedly cost Portsmouth around £1.25 million, moved to Valley Parade on a season-long agreement. He joined fellow Portsmouth centre-backs Josh Knight and Ibane Bowat in making temporary moves to League One clubs during the summer.

 

The Australian defender originally arrived at Portsmouth in January 2025 and has made 16 appearances for the club since his move to Fratton Park.

 

Despite spending the current campaign away from Portsmouth, Matthews remains under contract with the Blues and still has three years remaining on his existing deal.

 

His immediate focus will now be on regaining his place in Alexander’s plans as Bradford look to maintain their impressive start to the League One season.