Dino Maamria says that a conversation with Peterborough United’s Barry Fry this week has helped provide some perspective to Stevenage’s difficult start to the season...
Boro have got the 2019/20 campaign underway with three straight defeats but Maamria is remaining positive going into Saturday’s clash at Leyton Orient.
“(The start is) not ideal at all. It is new to me. I have never lost three games on the bounce and there is a lot of learning but there are a lot of circumstances to it, too. I saw Barry Fry yesterday and he reminded me it is a marathon and not a sprint, which is totally true. He is obviously experienced in football and Peterborough have had a similar start to us. That helped put things into perspective.”
Injuries are mounting up for Maamria’s squad during these early stages of the season but the Stevenage boss is determined to put that aside start picking up results with the group he has available.
“We have got 11 players injured in a small squad and it is always going to have an effect. We have been forced to change the team too many times. I have been talking to the players about winning though and we have to put all that aside. We are an ambitious group and if we want to achieve what we want to achieve by the end of the season we have to win football matches.
“The point I want to emphasis is we have got what we have got and we have to win with what we have got. It is easy for a manager to put yourself into a comfort zone and to find a million reasons why you aren’t winning. I am looking for reasons to win.
“I will pick a team tomorrow and I am confident that team is going to put on a performance for our fans and that are going to win the game. That is where we are right now and it puts me into a very, very positive frame of mind approaching the game tomorrow.”
Another big away following is expected to travel to Brisbane Road on Saturday and Maamria says that it is imperative that supporters and club work as one.
“The fans have been fantastic, they understand. Stevenage fans know the clubs inside out. We aren’t one of these big clubs that have fans from everywhere – Stevenage fans are Stevenage fans who live in Stevenage and know the players. They know the problems we are having but they have been backing us, they are behind us throughout and I am sure tomorrow afternoon will be another fantastic turnout from them and they will be backing the team from minute one.
“In these tough periods – and it is a tough period right now – we have to stay tighter and the fans are a fundamental part of what we do.”
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