Prior to Saturday's Needham Market trip to Bromsgrove Sporting, which was postponed on Friday due to the recent frozen and snowy weather, I caught up with Assistant Manager Tom Rothery to get his thoughts on the week previous for the club, the season so far and his thoughts ahead of the weekend game (a short match preview I wrote for that fixture can be found HERE).
TR: I think everyone is quite frustrated at the moment with our away form but I’d also say that we all are determined to turn it round. As you’ll be aware we’ve tried different formations and everybody in the squad has had opportunities but currently we haven’t been able to find that winning formula or replicate our home form which is obviously very frustrating. Saturday was a blow as we’ve been good at home and we knew with some more tough away games coming up the boost of potentially three points could have a been a big confidence boost going into these games. With the forecast though I didn’t think it would be on and like everyone wanted to avoid the situation that we ended up with. I think the league could take more responsibility sometimes with these type of situations. I didn’t believe the game had a chance with the forecast but when we turned up the pitch was looking ok apart from two areas and I felt as soon as I saw these that the Referee would call it off. It’s difficult because most clubs would want games on and should try and get them on but with travel involved I think sometimes these decisions could be made easier by the league stepping in. I know for example the Essex Senior League did and allowed clubs to call off without the need for a Referee. I just think sometimes too much pressure is on the club to get it on and maybe because of that things are viewed differently. I don’t think anybody should be criticised for trying to get a game on but personally I felt hugely sorry for Rushden and know how I’d have felt in their situation.
2. How do you reflect on Monday's defeat?
TR: Monday was tough again due to the weather the coach was cancelled and we took a mini bus but again left late due to a pitch inspection. Because of this we arrived late and it’s not an excuse but three plus hour journeys are tough especially midweek. But despite that we played ok and had good possession but really the game probably swung on one moment. At 2-1 we had an opportunity and we’d just made a change and were on the front foot but didn’t take this and with confidence how it is those sort of things do affect us currently. Redditch if we are honest though carried more threat on the night and ultimately that’s what won them the game.
3. With how our results away from home have gone so far this season, how important do you feel it is that we get a good result on Saturday?
TR: Every game is important but we’ve said it too much so I’d rather we do our taking on the pitch and we can’t identify one game we need to build some momentum quite simply.
4. How do you access our season so far overall, and how do you feel results so far this season match pre-season ambitions?
TR: Inconsistent. The FA Cup is obviously a high point and September also but in general it’s been very frustrating. I’ve seen some things and heard other things too and I do get quite annoyed really as it seems as a management team we can’t win really. At the start of the season Kev and myself both said play offs but firstly it seems like we are being judged on that already and in the 15 seasons in management I’ve done so far I don’t recall these positions or trophies handed out in December. But equally what do people want us to say? Historically we’ve never finished higher than 9th our budget I believe would see us around that sort of position but do we at the start of the season say that we are aiming for 10th then or do we show ambition? I truly believe we can finish in and around those players but time will tell and it may take a bit of movement in the squad to get to that point but equally there’s 23 games left. We’ve lost some attacking players who were all offered deals aside from one and these players aren’t easy to replace when you don’t overpay and you travel like we do. I have no issue with questions being asked and criticism aimed at management but what I would say is nobody should underestimate what Kev has done in his time at the club. Two Suffolk cups, record FA Cup and trophy run and the budget hasn’t been ripped up and money being thrown about. Whilst doing that his sold Callum Page to Ipswich and promoted several academy players into the first team squad. Ambition is healthy and nothing that anybody in this management team would shy away from but so is perspective and for me the key in a bad run is that everyone sticks together and swims in the same direction. The players will feel that and hopefully they extra percent will help them turn this away form round which we will I have no doubt in that.
5. Having lost our last few games against Bromsgrove, do you see that as a concern, or do you feel it's just a matter of time until that changes?
TR: They have a new management team and have started well but I don’t believe in those type of things, previous games have no bearing on Saturday. All games in this league are tight and they have always been tight with Bromsgrove bar one game I recall at Needham so I expect a tough game and hopefully that applies for them also.
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