Management thoughts on our first home game of the season.

Posted on Friday, October 7th, 2011

Mike says –

“There’s no place like home so the saying goes but despite being delighted that the Academy pitch is back up and running our mood after the game tomorrow will depend solely on the result of the 3.00 Kick Off. Tynecastle are one of the few teams to come to the Academy and beat us and they are the last East of Scotland team we’ve failed to score against in any game. That was in August 2009 and I hope those of our players still around are as irked by that result as I am. Like us Tynie lost a few experienced players in the close season and have brought a few in. Like us they are still finding their feet this season but Sam watched them a couple of weeks back and was impressed by their work-rate and commitment.

It’s good to be home. We’ve trained on half the new surface this week but like Tynecastle playing on the full pitch will be new to us. We lost a dozen games to the weather last season and hopefully that will never happen again. Nothing beats a perfect grass park but how often do you get that in East of Scotland football. Our boys are looking forward to playing on the new surface and Sam and I are looking forward to them playing a passing game with the ball more on the ground than in the air.

We only drew from a promising position last Saturday and the players know that isn’t good enough. We have three games between now and The Scottish and Sam and I will endeavour to get everyone as match fit as possible. There won’t be many if any changes tomorrow but with a bounce game against SFL opposition arranged for Monday and a cup-tie at Saughton Enclosure the following Saturday the majority of our squad will get a start and a chance to claim a Scottish jersey at Culter.

First things first and trying to win three important points in the league. That’s all the players have to concentrate on and they’ll have to be at their best to achieve that goal.”

Mike