With tomorrow’s crucial cup clash just around the corner, we sat down with our gaffer…
Here’s what he had to say over the following subjects…
on our result versus Enfield Town:
We had a team meeting where we reflected on our standards; we know we dipped below the expected line on Saturday for too long in the game. That was frustrating for everyone, from myself to the players, considering how much good we’d done as of late.
Our hard work this season hasn’t given us what it should have done, but ultimately you get what you deserve in football. We ended the game how we should have been playing for the whole 90 minutes. This game will serve as a reminder that we need to be more consistent, but the players are aware of that. They are an honest, hard-working group.
on the “standards” set by our players:
This season, I’ve only watched two games where I felt we played below the standards and intensity levels we’ve set ourselves: last weekend and Hemel Hempstead at home. Other than that, our hardships haven’t been down to lack of effort or performance. We’ve created a lot of chances, often more than the opposition. But, now we have to make sure we start turning this effort into goals and points.
on players’ opportunities:
We’re still waiting for a couple players to come back, which will hopefully happen in the not-so-distant future, but, until then, the players currently in the line-up have the opportunity to flourish. The chance is there for them to not only make the shirt their own, but also build their careers and improve as players.
on “moment[s] of quality:”
At the moment, that’s probably what we’re missing in the final third. We’re a little bit huff and puff right now, for a few reasons. Yes, we’re missing forwards, but there’s also an issue with confidence and execution. The players know how important a goal can be, so they’re probably putting a little too much pressure on themselves to score. It’s important to relax and take as much control when attacking.
Luckily, tomorrow gives us no better chance to rebuild our confidence than to go toe-to-toe against a team like Forest Green Rovers. I really believe in the lads, and now the next step is putting the finishing touches on all of our hard work.
on using our underdog status as motivation to win tomorrow’s FA-Cup game:
Forest Green will face a hungry team. We were hurt that we didn’t hit the levels we’ve shown over the last couple of weeks, and we’ve reminded ourselves of who we are and what it means to play for Weymouth.
We have to embrace our next challenge and be prepared to work hard. No question about it, we’ll have to be at our absolute best tomorrow. We have to be physically spot-on, tactically spot-on, and confident enough to want to create chances for ourselves. Our attitude should be: let’s bring this challenge on.
on the “magic” of the FA Cup:
This is the beauty of the FA Cup. It’s the best domestic cup competition in the world for a reason. This is where dreams are made; we have an opportunity to put ourselves in Weymouth history books.
on the strength of the fans:
We need to draw on any advantage we have, and our fans are our biggest advantage. Their support this season has been fantastic, and we want to reward them with a truly memorable win. The supporters deserve a day like that. We’ve been in hard times in the last few years, so we need to raise some smiles among the fans, as well as their belief in us.
