Gillingham (a): Michael Appleton Talks To The Press | Vital Football

Gillingham (a): Michael Appleton Talks To The Press

I thought the most interesting almost throwaway snippet was at the end. 'Training loads of the players coming in not quite at our level'.

Just made me think that possibly due to the age profile of our group combined with the athletic attributes MA generally looks for, we are able to train with a bit more intensity.

Probably helps to explain why, in general, we seem to dominate a little more in the second half.

Probably also helps to explain why some players are progressing at a good rate - the guys coming in will have more opportunity to develop with us partly because of an uptick in training intensity (not to mention the quality of coaching).
 
Skip155 said:
I thought the most interesting almost throwaway snippet was at the end. 'Training loads of the players coming in not quite at our level'.

Just made me think that possibly due to the age profile of our group combined with the athletic attributes MA generally looks for, we are able to train with a bit more intensity.

Probably helps to explain why, in general, we seem to dominate a little more in the second half.

Probably also helps to explain why some players are progressing at a good rate - the guys coming in will have more opportunity to develop with us partly because of an uptick in training intensity (not to mention the quality of coaching).
Click to expand...
None of what he said on this suprised me, it's self evident in the way they perform on the pitch, even on Tuesday's sticky dog they finished the stronger.

That high standard of physical conditioning also helps sustain the high technical standards, al part of the same package. A reminder, as if we need it, of the quality of coaching MA and his team provide.

The concern will be the ability to sustain that across the remainder of the season with 22 league games and 1 or 2 more EFL Trophy games. Our intensity and flair reminds me more and more of Leeds (though we have a better defence!), and Karen Carney's comments a few of weeks ago hit the nail on the head. The new lads, once full up to speed, will help hugely in that respect.
 
Brendan Bradley said:
Quiz question.

Who said this today?

"They have a big budget, they won’t be in the realms of a Sunderland or Ipswich, but it’s three or four times what we’ve got"
Click to expand...
So John Akinde joined them for 25% of his whack at Lincoln? Or even less, given we've reduced our budget by 40% and is still '3 or 4 times' Evans' pie budget. Yeah, right. He's like a broken record, click, click, click.
 
Brendan Bradley said:
....I thought that would get a quick reaction :)

However, apart from that entirely predictable snippet, the rest of what he says is amazingly complimentary. That little exchange at the end of the previous game must have rattled him or something

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway...ills-manager-ready-for-city-challenge-241865/
Click to expand...

This is classic Steve, big himself up, lower expectations, build up the opponents, give his chairman a pump up, drop a famous name. If he wins he's the messiah, if he loses it's the ref's fault. This is his career in its entirety and is incredibly boring.
 
weRimps said:
This is classic Steve, big himself up, lower expectations, build up the opponents, give his chairman a pump up, drop a famous name. If he wins he's the messiah, if he loses it's the ref's fault. This is his career in its entirety and is incredibly boring.
Click to expand...

That is as succinct a summary as you are likely to find!
 
Brendan Bradley said:
....I thought that would get a quick reaction :)

However, apart from that entirely predictable snippet, the rest of what he says is amazingly complimentary. That little exchange at the end of the previous game must have rattled him or something

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway...ills-manager-ready-for-city-challenge-241865/
Click to expand...

Him and his sidekick Raynor are classic old school bullies, and have been since their days at Stamford Town. Happy to kick downwards, but run a mile (metaphorically in Evans’ case obviously) if anyone stands up to them.
 
In fairness Evans has not said much that most on here would not agree with:

“It is alright having those kinds of resources but look at Ipswich, with even bigger resources, they are not in the same class as Lincoln. You can have resources but you have to spend them wisely. Michael Appleton and Liam Scully the chief exec in my opinion have done an outstanding job, beyond words.”

"I’ll repeat what I’ve said before, anyone who finishes above Lincoln City will be in the Championship, I firmly believe that, that is the size of our task on Friday.”

Have no problem with Evans wanting his side to be the underdogs. When given the chance it was classic Cowley behaviour, and not something MApp can do when City have been top or close to the top for most of the season. MApp will let his players do the talking on the pitch.
 
Michael Appleton appeared very relaxed ahead of the Friday evening clash with Gillingham:

Hull City Match - The result helps mentally and so far as physicality goes the players will need looking after. It's important to get the balance right. Sometimes it is hard to bounce back from a defeat; after a victory to ensure no one gets too carried away.

"Whatever the score, whatever the victory or loss you've got to get over it quickly and concentrate on the next one".

MA didn't particularly take a great amount technically or tactically from the Hull game. What really pleased him was the character of the side. The timing of the Hull equaliser could easily have led to them going onto winning the game. Instead if anything it probably prefaced the Imp's best spell of the contest.

Gillingham - 'They' will probably feel that they have not been as consistent as they would have liked but they are an opposition who possess quality. "They're more than capable of getting a result against one of the sides that are doing well this year".

Gillingham will be looking to produce such a result so Imps need to be mindful of that (threat).

"We're in a pretty good place. Arguably Saturday was one of the most difficult defeats to take this season just because of how well we played. But then to bounce back on Tuesday, obviously we're going into the game full of confidence"

On Steve Evans - It's a good thing in football that there are different types of characters and contrasting styles. 99% of the time an 'active' opposition bench doesn't bother MA and being a manager himself, he respects that people manage and coach differently.

"From my point of view the players know what I want and expect from them. They've been doing it all week, all year. Hopefully they can go and deliver".

Squad Availability - Connor McGrandles and Liam Bridcutt should be fine for selection. MA is taking a squad of around 20 down to Gillingham.

The new players will be part of the squad and today is probably the first time they will get to properly meet and integrate with their new team mates.

They won't be far off readiness for selection. MA has noted that the training statistics accompanying the new signings are not quite where 'we' are.

"They'll have to get up to speed from that point of view, to meet the demands we expect and put on them when the game comes. It might be a little bit of a shock to them but I'm sure they'll pick up that quickly".
 
Every time our local reporter mentions Liverpool he should get an increased electrical shock to his testicles. Just saying. Everytime he answers his own question before asking it a further more intensive shock!
 
domski2017 said:
Every time our local reporter mentions Liverpool he should get an increased electrical shock to his testicles. Just saying. Everytime he answers his own question before asking it a further more intensive shock!
Click to expand...
Actually forget that. Go somewhere where he has to interview Steve Evans on a weekly basis.
 
Evans has always been pretty complimentary about Lincoln and the fans. He'd love to manage here at some point, although the feeling obviously isn't mutual!

Didn't he try telling us all last season that they had the lowest budget in the league?!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.