Fleetwood Town forward Joe Garner spoke to the local media ahead of the Club’s trip to Exeter on Saturday for the Sky Bet League One.
The forward played 90 minutes on Tuesday night in the Papa Johns Trophy match against Manchester United Under-21s and managed to score Town’s second goal of the match with a wonderful curling effort.
With Admiral Muskwe and Promise Omochere still in doubt for this weekend’s clash in Devon, the 34-year-old will be pushing for a start for the Cod Army at Exeter.
Here’s what Joe had to say in the pre-match interview:
On Town’s start to this campaign…
“I think we are a lot lower than where we should be after 13 games. I think we have been in every game we have played, and we’ve been up against some really tough teams and have got some very good results with one of those being away at Peterborough United and for me, I think we should be higher with the football we have played and it is what it is.
“We have three big games coming up, with the next being away at Exeter City and we are looking to make all three points in those. If we were to look at our games last year and compared to this, ones we were losing are ones we are now picking up points in and we need to use that as a positive. We are creating chances and hopefully over the next few weeks we get some more luck and pick up the points.
“I wouldn’t be able to put my finger on what went wrong last season, but this campaign we have brought in some fresh faces and some brilliant players with Josh Vela our captain, Josh Earl and Shaun Rooney and then Mikey Devlin. We are playing good football and once it clicks, I am sure we will pick up wins and move up the league.”
On what Scott Brown has changed in his time at Fleetwood…
"The Gaffer has a way of playing and they don’t leave any stones unturned and for us it’s about going out on the training ground and learning, learning how to play against opposition because we have been good. No one likes coming to Highbury but the more we buy into what the Gaffer wants from us, you will see a change on the pitch.
"We are improving as a group and I think the football has been good and we are close to putting a few wins together. We did concede too many goals last season and they’ve looked at that and eradicated that and for us, it’s now about putting the ball in the back of the next at the other end of the pitch and if we can put the two together, we will be a very good side.
"We don’t concede many goals and we’ve worked hard with the back line. We are solid and compact and now a quarter of the way through the season, we will improve in all areas of the pitch and as I said before, move up the league table.”
On game time for the red and white army…
"It is what it is with me at the minute. I come in every day and train hard and do all I can for the team and if there’s anything I can do to help the lads pick up the three points, I will do that and do what I am asked to do.
"I know I won’t start every game, but as footballers you want to play as much as you can whether that’s five minutes, 20 minutes or even 90 minutes, we just need to work together to make sure we pick up the three points."
On the threats of Exeter City…
“The trip to Exeter is a long one and we know that they are a very good team who play good football. I think they have dropped off a little bit of lately, but we will be going there confident of picking up all three points and we will work very hard on the training ground in the build-up and look at how we want to play the game and how we can win. It will be a tough game like all in this league, but let’s see how we get on.”