Portsmouth boss' message over his squad as Sheffield Wednesday test signals dawn of new campaign

And the Blues boss feels he now has the characters and leaders to drive standards in the team’s effort to gain promotion this season.

The curtain comes up on the third-tier campaign with a testing trip to Sheffield Wednesday today, as Cowley begins his second full season at the Fratton helm.

Pompey go into the game bolstered by nine new signings this summer, as the Londoner reshapes his options for what lies ahead.

The arrivals of Marlon Pack, Joe Pigott, Colby Bishop, Michael Morrison, Josh Griffiths, Joe Rafferty, Zak Swanson, Dane Scarlett and Josh Oluwayemi signal the next stage of the evolution of Cowley’s Pompey.

He said: ‘It feels more like our team.

‘The group and the players and I suppose the characters and personalities are more aligned to the way we like to work. I think that’s fair.

‘For us, it’s always about signing good characters and then once you find the good characters try to find the right profile to fit your game idea and complement what you already have in the building.’

There’s little doubt Cowley has added some leaders to his group, particularly in the arrivals of Morrison and Pack.

Married with the younger, emerging talent and established quality now in place, the 43-year-old sees a better blend - and importantly the characters to maintain standards.

He added: ‘I’ve had six promotions and senior players have always played a pivotal role.

‘When you have really good senior players, like when Michael Doyle was here and we got promoted from League Two, you can’t underestimate how important they are - not just on the pitch but off it in driving the standards.

‘That’s whether it’s in training, how to live your life professionally, preparation and recovery. All of these things are important.

‘You need players who can be the glue and bring it all together.’