Dave Symington on playing at right back
Dave Symington returned to the starting line up for the first time since the end of November for the visit of Brentford last weekend – but it was in an unfamiliar role as he plugged the gap at right back following a series of injuries across the Carlisle United back line.
We spoke to him about it earlier this week.
“It was a new experience for me really,” he said. “It was one I enjoyed as well. I’ve actually played there a couple of times for the reserves and I’ve felt like I’ve done a job.
“Obviously the gaffer felt the same way and he decided he’d use me there."
“When I came into the club it was as a defender,” he confirmed. “Eric [Kinder] looked at me for a while in the right back position but he then started to use me further forward because he thought I would be more of a threat.
“Kav used me at right back in a bounce game again last week and I think he saw that I understood the job. It is something he’s done with me a few times and it’s worked out well.”
“I found out I would be playing at right back for the Brentford game on Friday,” he revealed. “We did a bit of team shape during the training session and I think you could tell I was a bit nervous all the way through it.
“I did a couple of silly things and I was all over the place. If I’m honest I was shaking a bit, because of the nerves, but Kav talked to me about the job and made sure I was thinking about the opportunity I’d been given. When you’re selected for a role like that the manager is putting his trust in you. You have to believe in yourself and get out there and do it.”
“I think being a winger helps with understanding the position,” he explained. “I’ve been up against a number of full backs and you notice what they do to try to get you to go where they want you to go. I used that to make it as hard as possible for Alan Judge and Clayton Donaldson to get past me on Saturday.
“In some ways it’s much easier to see the game developing from the right back position because it’s all in front of you. You can see everyone and everything, and you can watch a move start to come at you. When you’re on the wing you need to rely on your full back to tell you what’s going on in your blind spot.
“You have to work closely with your winger and I thought I worked well with David Amoo. Between us we managed to stop a lot of crosses from our area and it’s a case of making sure you concentrate all the time.”
“Having the experience that Pascal Chimbonda and David Amoo have to work with was a great help,” he admitted. “Pascal talked me through just about everything that was happening during the game. He told me where to go, when to drop off, when to stay tight and when to push forward to help David. I thought we all communicated really well.”
“To be fair, it took me a while to get going in the first half,” he commented. “I had to keep reassuring myself because I knew I could do it. My confidence grew as the game went on and I started to really enjoy it.
“Once I’d made the first block and won my first tackle I just wanted to get on the ball as much as I could. Things started going well and I felt more relaxed. Confidence is everything in football and it was good to feel so comfortable during the game.”
“The reaction from everyone at the final whistle was superb,” he said. “I knew within myself that I’d played well but it was even better when the lads came over and congratulated me. That is a great feeling. Hopefully I’ve given Kav another option and fingers crossed I’ll be able to stay in the team.”
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