‘Nothing to lose’ - Brackley Town boss Andy Whing previews Rochdale clash and reveals ‘difficult’ Saints challenge
Andy Whing says Brackley Town have “nothing to lose” in their upcoming Enterprise National League clashes with Rochdale and Boreham Wood.
Brackley have lost all three matches since Whing’s appointment and sit just three points above the relegation zone, but the head coach believes his players can turn things around.
The Saints were beaten 2-0 by Altrincham on Saturday. Despite an encouraging first-half display, the result frustrated supporters at St James Park.
Brackley do at least have two games in hand on fellow strugglers Braintree Town and Morecambe, though Whing faces a significant challenge at one of the division’s few part-time clubs.
Speaking to the Banbury Guardian, Whing admitted limited contact time with his squad has made an immediate impact tricky.
“I’m not going to lie, it’s been really tough,” he said. “Even in-game, too. I’m probably a bit spoilt now that I used to have a live feed at Barrow — you could see things back and readjust.
“It’s been very difficult. I’ve had about 30 or 40 minutes with the players and we’ve changed shape twice. But it shows how good they are in terms of how receptive they are to information.”
There is little time to dwell on recent defeats, with a demanding run of fixtures ahead.
“We can’t feel sorry for ourselves,” Whing said. “We’ve got two tough games against two top teams and everyone probably expects us to get beaten.
“We’ve got nothing to lose in those games. Every match is tough now. Everyone expects us to get beat at Rochdale, especially as they are flying high at the top.
“We’ll go there with no fear and try to win. We take the positives from today — it’s the best we’ve played and possibly the best Brackley have played for quite a while.”
Asked whether that underdog mindset was the right approach, Whing insisted belief remains strong inside the dressing room.
“I’m always hopeful. My record is fantastic against Rochdale, especially away from home. We’ll go there and try to win.
“I’m not saying we’ll get beat — I’m saying what everyone else will think. Everyone will expect us to lose apart from that dressing room.
“We’ve got the belief.”