During the build-up to Rovers’ trip away to Sixfields Stadium to face Northampton Town, Tony Mowbray spoke to the clubs’ media team about Saturday’s opponents, in addition to how the week off, during this Christmas period, will help the team in the long run.
“The week off has been important to re-energise the players. We gave them a few days rest earlier on in the week and we used the remaining days to prepare for Northampton. We’ve had a four-day build-up to the game, and the players are looking really sharp and seem up for the tough run in over the Christmas and New Year period.
“The confidence helps the players and increases their performance levels. Each game has its dangers and its threats, but we just have to focus on our next opponents, which are Northampton. We’ve been doing really well away from home recently, but our challenge is to continue doing what we’re doing, keep asking questions of the opposition, whilst also being mindful of it being a tough game. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s got some good experience as a manager now, and his teams can be hard to beat, but it’s a game that we’re looking forward to.
“The players are relishing every game that comes their way now. I see a real competitive edge in them during training and a spring in their step which can only mean they’re confident. If we find a balance between resting and training correctly, then I don’t see any reason why we can’t continue our rich vein of form. On matchdays, it’s about focusing the players on the next challenge that they face. Everybody will be praising them about the job they’re doing and will be telling them how well they’re doing, but it’s my job, come matchday, to keep them grounded and make sure they understand that the reason we’ve been doing so well, is down to the hard work and high spirits in the dressing room, which will hopefully continue.
“This festive period is very important. The games come thick and fast, in a really short period of time, so let’s hope we can take maximum points from the four games we play during this spell. The table can change drastically over Christmas, with so many points to play for. We have to be fully focused, understand what’s been getting us results, and take those qualities into the next game.”
Tony Mowbray was next asked about Rovers’ away form, and whether the players enjoyed playing away from home, more than they do playing at Ewood Park.
“They’re happy. They’ve won some away from home and they’ve realised the concentration and togetherness required to get results. I don’t think we go into the away games ‘enjoying’ them, I think we go into them with a nervous tension that heightens their adrenaline levels that allows them to find that extra yard that they need in order to get results. Nobody’s resting on their laurels, nobody’s thinking they can turn up and win, everybody’s aware of the hard work and the run of games. We have to really focus and put the effort in, during the away games, and if that all continues, hopefully the results will come.
“We’ve had a few coughs and sniffles, like most clubs would probably have during this time of year, and a couple have missed a few days of training as a result, but hopefully they’ll all be ready by Saturday, which will allow us to take a strong squad and with any luck, come out with a positive result.”
