Keith Curle on the need for every member of the squad to be prepared
Manager Keith Curle spoke today about the need for every player in the squad to be ready to go at a moment’s notice as he continues to look at the personnel and tactics needed for the final nine games of the campaign.
“We go and watch players who haven’t had game time all the time and the condition they’re in suggests they’re not ready to come in and hit the ground running,” he said. “I stand by what we’ve tried to create here in that the players at our club need to be conditioned so they are able to step up, as and when they’re needed.
“Derek Asamoah is a good example. He hasn’t been getting the game time but the extra work he’s been doing has meant he’s been able to step in without any fear of his conditioning work. I, as the manager, owe it to the players who aren’t getting that game to make sure they are on top of their game.
“No matter what you say, if you leave them to their own devices they wouldn’t be as fit as I know I can get them. That isn’t a criticism, it’s just what people are like. Even though they sometimes don’t realise it, the extra sessions are done for their benefit.
“David Amoo is another who has been coming back to do the extra training. He’s one who gets on with his work and he does his 9am session and his 3pm session with no fuss. He knows the benefit he gets from that and he’s been able to glide through the 90 minutes recently as if he’s been playing the last 15 or 20 games. That shows the hard work he has done to first get in the team and then to stay there.”
“Billy [Paynter] is one of six strikers we have and he will get his chances and playing time,” he added. “I’ll use the attributes I know he has, as I will with every other player. We will move things around as we need to because I don’t want to go into a game with four strikers sat on the bench. There will be omissions from the squad week in, week out because we have to go with what we think will get us the points.
“Gary [Dicker] is in the same situation as the other players who haven’t been getting game time. They’re on a schedule which is designed to maximise their attributes. He’s a good ball playing midfielder and that’s something we can use. He’s probably still a little way off match fitness but he’ll get an opportunity to play in the Cumberland Cup next Tuesday and that will do him the world of good.”
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