John Mousinho has expressed strong support for Portsmouth goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid, praising the player’s recent performances after a period in which he faced criticism. The Portsmouth head coach believes it was the correct decision to continue trusting Schmid despite scrutiny over his recent form, and he is confident that the Austrian goalkeeper is now returning to the high standards he previously showed.
Schmid has experienced a challenging season with Portsmouth. In 32 Championship appearances so far, he has managed seven clean sheets, but there have also been difficult moments. During Portsmouth’s poor spell of results before the international break, Schmid’s displays were heavily questioned, especially after the club suffered a humiliating 6-1 defeat to QPR last month. That result intensified criticism of the goalkeeper and placed him under significant pressure.
However, Mousinho chose to remain loyal to the 29-year-old at a crucial stage of the season. Rather than replacing him, the manager kept faith in Schmid, and that decision has started to pay off. Over the last four matches, the goalkeeper has responded positively and produced a series of important performances.
One of his standout displays came against Middlesbrough last week. Schmid made several key saves to keep Portsmouth in the match at the Riverside Stadium, preventing the opposition from scoring on multiple occasions. His efforts laid the foundation for Portsmouth’s dramatic late victory, with Conor Chaplin scoring the decisive goal near the end of the game.
He followed that excellent showing with another strong performance in midweek against promotion-chasing Ipswich Town. Once again, Schmid was called into action late in the match and made a number of vital saves to deny Ipswich and preserve Portsmouth’s position.
Mousinho said he was especially pleased for Schmid because of the criticism the goalkeeper had received in recent weeks. He explained that the player’s dedication and determination to improve were major reasons why the coaching staff continued to select him.
According to Mousinho, Schmid had been working extremely hard behind the scenes to raise his performance levels. The manager said this commitment gave the club confidence to keep him in the starting line-up. He also noted that Schmid’s ability to produce match-winning saves was something Portsmouth had seen regularly last season, although they had not needed to rely on it as much this year. When the team did need him recently, Schmid delivered impressively.
Schmid joined Portsmouth in the summer of 2024 as one of 14 new signings brought in ahead of the club’s first Championship season in 12 years. He arrived from BW Linz in a deal worth £350,000. Initially, he had to wait for his opportunity, as Will Norris was preferred in goal during the early stages of the 2024–25 season.
When Schmid was introduced into the team in October 2025, he quickly established himself as Mousinho’s first-choice goalkeeper. He went on to keep eight clean sheets in 35 appearances as Portsmouth secured a respectable 16th-place finish.
This season, Schmid started the first six league matches but then suffered a setback when he fractured his hand in September’s goalless south-coast derby against Southampton after colliding with Connor Ogilvie. The injury kept him sidelined for around two months.
After returning to action in November, the goalkeeper was rewarded with a new long-term contract the following month. His new deal runs until the summer of 2029, underlining Portsmouth’s belief in his ability and long-term value to the club.
Despite the criticism he has faced this season, Schmid’s recent performances suggest he is rediscovering his best form at an important moment, and Mousinho’s faith in him appears to be fully justified.
