Paul Dickov says he wants his players to be positive after an uneasy run of four straight defeats which sees his team sitting near the wrong end of the table. He said, “We need to get back on track after a run of four defeats. There is pressure on us and it would be stupid not to notice that as we are not winning games. Do you feel sorry for yourselves or do you roll up your sleeves, pump your chest out and have a go? I had a 21-year career as a player with people doubting me all the time that I was too small, not quick enough and couldn't score goals. It makes you stronger and a massive determination to go out and prove people wrong. I have that, and I am going to instil that into the players as I believe we are better than what we have been showing. Yes, we are light on numbers, but we are going to have a right good go as we owe it to a lot of people to start getting positive results.”
“We are losing games and fans won't be happy, and I am not as I want to be winning games and I can completely understand why they are not happy. It is my job as manager to put things right and I am working as a hard as I can to do so. I will continue to do that and they say the harder you work, the luckier you get and I am sure we are due a bit of that. I don't want people thinking I am making excuses for not winning games, but in the last three or four big decisions have gone against us. We cannot keep moaning that we have lost another game which we could have won. I am up for it and I know the players are. We cannot blame decisions, even though there have been good ones which have gone against us.”
“We have a lot of young players in the side and it is fantastic experience for them. The only positive side is that when you look to next season these players are getting experience and minutes on the pitch they might not have got before and it will hold them in good stead. I trust them to go out and perform but, with young players, you are going to get mistakes. But if they are honest mistakes you accept that.”
The quest for points begins at Hartlepool tomorrow night. Stay tuned.