Fleetwood Town head coach John Sheridan has given his thoughts on Saturday’s match against his former club Plymouth Argyle.
Sheridan will take charge of his second match this weekend, and is looking forward to coming up against the Pilgrims at Highbury Stadium.
On the preparation ahead of the match after last week’s postponement at Oxford…
“It hasn’t been ideal, but I would have preferred more football and game time.
“Unfortunately the weather has not allowed us to do that and we’ve just done what we can do and that’s get ready for the Plymouth game.
“There’s not much you can do – on last week’s postponement – as we were ready for the game but it wasn’t to be.
“The players and I have had more time on the training ground and we are looking forward to the game against one of my old clubs.”
On the latest team news…
“I have to give the physio and the fitness staff praise as injury wise we haven’t been too bad.
“Kevin O’Connor picked up an injury on his ankle [on Tuesday] and he is the one who is probably out of contention.
“Other than that, everybody is fit and available.”
On what he learnt from his first game in charge…
“I have only here on the Friday and had one day training with the players before the game.
“I felt we should have won the game, however to get something from the game was the most important thing.
“Where we are, getting three points is vital and when I look at the performance on the team last time out, I was pleased.
“There are things we should have done better and learn from but I did throw a new formation in and credit to the players.
“They were unlucky not to win, they have that bit of knowhow about them and I want them to take things into a tough game against a side who are doing well.”
On how the players have reacted from that result…
“I will tell you after five or six games how the players have reacted.
“We’ve only played one game, however if I go from the session on the pitch, I am very pleased with how things are going.
“I have settled in, the players have helped me with that and they have responded well, but results will soon tell us."
On Plymouth’s turn around…
“Full credit to Plymouth, they’ve done well.
“When I went into the club [as manager], they were in a similar position at the bottom of the league, and I am proud of what I did down there.
“I left them in a stable position after keeping them up we did well to reach the play-offs.
“The club have an excellent Chairman in place, but I just have to focus on Fleetwood and use what I have done at other places, and do that here.
“It’s a vulnerable position but I want to keep the club in the league. That’s all I am looking at so I can’t plan to far ahead.
“I’ve done it before, I hope to do it again.”
On the games coming up…
“Our away record is better than our home record so it’s about going into games wanting that win.
“I want the players to get into that thought process of going out there to win no matter who we are playing.
“Plymouth is a difficult game but I know we can beat them. We’ve got some top quality players in the team so I think we can win."
On the teams at the bottom picking up points…
“There are some very good team down at the bottom of the table.
“When you look at the teams, you can’t pick results out as the bottom can beat the top at any time.
“The most consistent teams are usually at the top and that’s where the difference, but it is a really even league.
“We know we are down there, but we also know we have the players to get ourselves out of it.”
On the fans part to play this weekend…
“I thought the fans were excellent last time out against MK Dons.
“They got right behind the team and believed that the team were trying to win the game.
“We attacked and had a go and didn’t feel sorry for ourselves after going behind, and the response from the fans and the players was great.
“I hope they do the same on Saturday and get behind us.”