MA: “We’ll go into every game knowing that we’re going to be really competitive.”

Michael Appleton was particularly grounded and pragmatic ahead of the season opener against Crewe Alexandra in The League Cup on Saturday.

Pre Season: Naturally it has been a shorter pre-season due to COVID and less organised in terms of opposition simply due to health restrictions. MA has tried to get the balance right between gaining fitness but not overtraining. The emphasis has been on ensuring similar amounts of game time for all the players as there is going to be a heavy workload and it is highly likely that there is going to be much more squad rotation than during a normal season. MA has made sure the players are aware of that.

MA has been very pleased with some of the performances from the younger players and whilst he will not overload them they know when they are called upon they have to seize that opportunity.

The overriding emotion is one of relief that playing is starting up again. MA found himself agitated during lockdown with all the uncertainty but once back into pre-season training it felt quite normal, to be honest. To be playing again is a bonus. COVID has taught MA not to look too far ahead. He is and will be taking things simply week by week; if there is disruption e.g. cancelled games so be it. The players have been mentally prepared for those scenarios. Good hygiene measures are in place at the training ground and the players have been educated about best practice in their private lives, common sense really.

Squad Changes and Recruitment: MA found it really difficult to release players ‘over the phone’ due to lockdown; that’s not his style. Likewise, when speaking with potential targets he doesn’t like having to use Zoom as it is harder to look in the player’s eyes and see if he gets what MA is about. That said MA likes to think that the recruitment team have been working hard whilst others may have been sleeping so that when it became possible to meet the players he was ahead of the queue relationship-wise.

All the new players have been bedded in well. They come to the club knowing what the plan for them personally is. They understand what MA wants to do and how they will be expected to do it. They know MA’s philosophy, style and their roles within that. In effect, it gives the players a head start.

MA recognises this is now ‘his’ squad but whilst acknowledging COVID had accelerated the process it’s really quite normal for that to happen over a couple of transfer windows when a new manager arrives.

The club has to be financially savvy (sic) more than ever and part of the sell to the young players is that the club wants to progress and get promoted but if they get to the next level ahead of the club then so be it.

It is a small squad and 3/4 injuries will show but with that in mind recruitment paid attention to ensuring that utility players capable of filling in were brought in.

The budget has been cut by 40% but most other clubs will have gone through the same cost-cutting so MA doesn’t see that as a major problem. Imps are creating a sustainable model with much effort on scouting/recruiting so ‘we’ don’t have to worry about overpaying or ridiculous wages. MA is just delighted that Clive and the board have provided a budget which will make ‘us’ competitive on the pitch and there will be a club when the fans come back. Obviously the longer the COVID pandemic continues the more the worry would be for most L1 and L2 clubs but MA and the players will be looking a week ahead as aforementioned.

League 1: MA sees it as a tougher league than last year. Clubs coming up are better equipped than in some previous seasons and sides coming down have PL experience. However to be honest no one really knows how it will pan out. It remains to be seen how players react to empty stadiums. Maybe that will count against us as we are used to the fans raising the LNER roof every week but MA has made sure that the player’s attention will be focussed on playing the game and the opposition in front of them on the pitch. MA is sure that when fans can return they will be fully behind this group of players.

Crewe Match: There has been a frustrating number of injury niggles ahead of the game and there will be a resulting moving around of players accordingly. Joe Walsh and Max Melbourne are 50/50. It is a competitive game and MA will put out a team that is capable of winning but he was clear without doubt the much bigger picture is the league game a week on Saturday. MA pointed out that his past record in cup competitions stands up to scrutiny so nobody could accuse him of taking the game lightly. The players absolutely will have the right attitude going into the match.

Crewe themselves have done a great job and it is well known they have good footballers. Continuity of personnel from last season will benefit them and they utilise a system that works well for them and is difficult to play against but bear in mind we have our own plans to counter that.

Writer: hulloutpost

Who Are The League One Managers? No.7: David Artell (Crewe Alexandra)

If you haven’t already had a go at our quizzes, this is a great way to learn some random information about the Football Club, as well as helping us generate much-needed page views: Quiz No.1, Quiz No.2, Quiz No.3, Quiz No.4, Quiz No.5, Quiz No.6, Quiz No.7, Quiz No.8, Quiz No.9, Quiz No.10, Quiz No.11, Quiz No.12, Quiz No.13, Quiz No.14, Quiz No.15, Quiz No.16, Quiz No.17, Quiz No.18, Quiz No.19, Quiz No.20, Quiz No.21, Quiz No.22, Quiz No.23, Quiz No.24, Quiz No.25, Quiz No.26, Quiz No.27, Quiz No.28, Quiz No.29 and Quiz No.30.

MA: "We'll go into every game knowing that we're going to be really competitive."https://t.co/wFloqNmSZq#CreweAlex #ImpsAsOne #CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/3qTUdeRMtP

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