Alex Revell believes that hard work and a high tempo will be key in turning round Stevenage Football Club’s position in the Sky Bet League Two table…
After stepping up to the managerial role less than two weeks ago, gaffer Alex Revell talks about his experience so far and the unfortunate inaugural result.
“Saturday was disappointing in the result sense,” says Revell. "But, I think there were some real big positives in terms of our attacking play and getting into areas. Like I said after the game, the final ball and the consistency of where we are putting the ball was not there on Saturday. We have had to work on that. We have been working on that all week.
“It was the defensive side of it, our structure behind the ball was not quite good enough. Watching the game back, I think that we had the ball in so many good opportunities, and we did not make the most of it. I think that is the biggest disappointment really.
“At 1-0 and 0-0 we had opportunities to go and do something with the ball, go and counter or go and make that killing pass, and we did not do it. We have been working on that again. Consistency with our work, repetition, and making sure that when this Saturday comes, we do play that. We do get the right cross in, or we do get the right runs, because we have to keep repeating that. We have to keep making it so the players know what is going to happen. We have worked behind the ball, it has been a good week of work leading up to a massive game for us.”
Alex Revell’s men had several opportunities to put their side ahead or level the score against Crawley, but Revs explains what needs to improve in the final third.
“It is bravery. It is courage to expect that if the first one does not work, you try again and you keep trying. That is courage. It is bravery. It is also working on it time and time again. Repeating it, repeating it. The more you do it, the better you will get at it.”
“The players have got to take it from where we train, take it over that white line and into the games. That is what they have to do. They have to believe and trust that what we are doing is right. Once that happens, then they will believe that their run is right and their pass is right, they will believe that they can put it there and someone is going to score a goal. That is all we have been working on.”
“It is key to the next few weeks that we just keep going. Keep getting that belief and keep getting their courage up. Then in games, it will come.”
After playing 90 minutes in the Herts Senior Cup on Tuesday, Ben Kennedy is set to return to the team on Saturday following a spell away from the side and Revell says that he will be a key player during the run-in.
“It was good to see Kenners playing, back in the fold and looking like the Kenners of before. He is back up with us now, which is great. I have got a lot of time for Kenners. I think that he is someone who cares about the football club.
I think that at times like this, you need players who care. You need players who care about the situation of the football club, and he is certainly that. He wants to do everything he can to help the situation. He is back, now he has to prove himself up here every day. In every game he is involved, he has got to do that. He has been really positive over the last few days, it is good to have him back.”
Saturday's match is Alex Revell's first game as Manager at The Lamex Stadium and he is adamant that his players will give everything to the cause in-order to give the supporters something to cheer about.
“It is massive. I am excited that it is our first home game. I was disappointed in the first half tempo against Crawley, and that is something we have to improve on. It should not even need saying, that tempo should be as high as possible, because that is the way I want to be. That is the way that I feel these players are at their best.
“We will be giving absolutely everything on Saturday to change that. The start, the whole game, I want as much effort and commitment from every single one of those players on Saturday. They know what they have to do. They know what our messages have been to get ready for the game.
“It is really important to everyone within the football club and the outside world, that we are together. We are united and that every game from now on we are going to give it our absolute maximum. You should be walking off the pitch completely exhausted because that is what we have to do. That is the bare minimum. If you get that, then you get your rewards.
“I believe that with the work they have done this week, and the mindset they are in, we will go and give everything you have got and get your rewards.”
---
Subscribe to iFollow for only £4.49 a month & gain full access to all official videos, including all interviews, full match highlights and also live match commentary.
To find out more about our video service, please click here.
