Northampton Town: Aidy plays down date with Barnet
AIDY BOOTHROYD has played down the importance of the Cobblers’ Sixfields clash with Barnet tomorrow and says it is not a ‘must-win game’.
Town play host to a Bees side four places and five points ahead of them in npower League Two, a division in which Boothroyd’s side currently find themselves rock bottom.
But with 20 games left to play this season, the manager is confident his squad has the time to rectify that, and ensure League football will be played at Northampton next season.
“When you’re in the position that we are in, the media see games like this as nice ones to build up,” he said. “People talk about must-win games but this isn’t a must-win game. We’ll be looking to win it, but it’s not a must-win game.
“A must-win game is if you’ve got one game to go and you’ve got to win it, so there is a slightly different pressure on this game.
“The pressure will come from me to the staff and the players to do their jobs properly. It’s about the results you get against the teams around you and Barnet are one of the teams around us.
“The games against the Southends, Crawleys and Cheltenhams aren’t as important as the ones against the teams around us.”
The Cobblers remain in the market for a new goalkeeper, and were understood to be close to a deal to bolster their ranks in that department in time for tomorrow’s game.
Boothroyd also wants to make one or two other additions to his squad and he will be able to do that without being forced to move players on first.
He would, however, prefer to be playing with a much-reduced deck, and is hoping to have found pastures new for some of the frozen-out squad members before tomorrow’s game.
“We’ve had three or four clubs come in for the same player but they’re maybe waiting to see what happens somewhere else first,” he said.
“Some will be permanent, some will be loans and there is all kinds of activity going on at the moment.
“Some of it is time-wasting stuff and gossip but some of it is genuine and we could have one or two done before the close of business this week.”
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Comments
There are 9 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
FranklyFrank
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 06:55 PMHitting panic buttons and demanding urgency ain't the way - we need a calm, considered approach, stick to the game plan and keep our shape and keep the faith. We'll be fine - we've signed a top goalie too! I don't recall Sir Alf hitting any panic buttons when the Germans equalised in the final seconds in 1966 - gentlemen, he said, you are better than them and you will win. What a man!
Marvo
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 02:15 PMThe trouble with classing the game as a "must win" is if you don't win you're piling on a whole heap of pressure for no good reason. Seriously, what's the point? What's to gain? We all know we can go out tomorrow and things can conspire against us. A bad decision by the referee or player could cost us. The keeper could end up getting sent off in the first minute. Who knows what might befall us. If things do go wrong and everybody has classed the game as a "must win" then suddenly the result seems ten times worse. Aidy is right. We could do with winning but if we don't, especiually if we've had yet another dose of bad luck then it wont be the end of the world, it'll just seem like it, at least until the next must win game appears on the horizon.
Tabasco kid
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 01:31 PMSorry Banana, but i dont agree. Urgency needs injecting and fast. John Johnson is calling the game a six pointer on the BBC sport website. Now thats the spirit. Come on Town!
GlenCousner
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 12:31 PMBlimey UniCobbler....you read my mind as I typed...
GlenCousner
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 12:30 PMOf course it's a game we need to win, but it's not a must win as he said. He knows we need to win, we know we need to win, but as far as his approach to not putting pressure on the players - he's spot on. They will be putting enough pressure on themselves as it it.... COME ON COBBLERS....
unicobbler
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 12:26 PMHe knows its a must win game, the players know it and so do the fans. What he is trying to do is limit the pressure on the players.
Tabasco kid
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 12:17 PMI like AB a lot. He is a vast improvement on the previous clueless wonder, and most of the time he talks a lot of sense. Until now. If we dont get back to back wins soon, we will be cast adrift, and 20 games left will become 10. At what point does it become acceptable to hit the panic button? Too many people are just shrugging their shoulders and saying "Nah, it will be all right".
SteveRiches
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 11:30 AMIt's a must-win game in terms of trying to sell some season tickets!
PATTCOBB2
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 10:39 AMSorry AB but most people know deep down this IS a must win game, even yourself will admit that if we cannot beat Barnet we are doomed. Mathematically, no but there will be no more options left.
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