Ricardo Rocha hailed Michael Appleton’s impact since his arrival at Fratton Park in November.
Under Appleton’s guidance, Pompey have enjoyed three wins and three draws from 10 league matches.
But Rocha says the new manager’s influence has stretched wider than results.
The Portuguese defender highlighted the positive influence his boss has made on the Blues squad – despite it being his first full-time managerial role.
“He’s made a massive impact,” said Rocha ahead of Pompey’s trip to Peterborough on Saturday. “He’s been fantastic – everybody’s enjoying training, everybody’s enjoying his work, so we are all happy with that. He’s a great manager and a great person.
“It doesn’t look like this is his first job because of all the knowledge he has, and with the help of the staff, Stuart (Gray) and Guy (Whittingham), he has been doing things with us that we enjoy. We’re always learning, so it’s good.”
The visit to Peterborough marks an opportunity for the Blues to avenge their unlucky home defeat earlier this season.
Unlucky because as the seconds ticked down at the end of the game, a dominant Pompey were pressing for the winner when disaster struck as Erik Huseklepp diverted Ryan Tunnicliffe’s shot past Jamie Ashdown and into his own net.
But Rocha says that September evening is behind them, and Pompey will be looking to put things right against Darren Ferguson’s men this weekend.
“It was unbelievable,” he nodded. “We played very well, but we were unfortunate that Erik got the own-goal in the last minute.
“But that happens sometimes and now we have the chance to change things and hopefully get the three points this time.”
Despite Posh – who sit just one place above Pompey in the table – having not won a match since Boxing Day (when they beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 at the City Ground), Rocha says they will pose a similar threat to that presented by promotion-chasing West Ham and Cardiff in Pompey’s last two games.
“It doesn’t matter who you play, whether they are in the top six or the bottom six, it will always be difficult and you have to be prepared for that,” he said. “I think we deserved something from both our last games.
“Against Cardiff we deserved at least a point and in the home game against West Ham we played so well, even with 10 men, that we deserved something from that as well.
“But we keep ourselves strong because we’ve been playing well and getting good results. We’re a small squad but we’re all together.”