Top Half Target For Steve
Wed 4th March 2015 | Eccleshall | By Ian Templeman
With 11 games left to play, Eccleshall manager Steve Lloyd is looking to build on recent good results and target a top half of the table finish for his side.
Steve took over the managerial reins at Pershall Park in early January, moving to the club from Rudheath Social in the Cheshire League, and since his arrival, his team have picked up three wins and turned in two creditable performances in losing to Atherton Colls.
It’s been a decent start, and Steve says he is happy with the way that the players have responded since he came to the club.
“Our results have come because of players buying in to what we are trying to do”, he said. “Our job is to make sure the players are prepared and organised properly, and their job is to go out and deliver a game plan.
“We’ve worked hard on making sure we defend properly from back to front, and that has given us a foundation to play football.
“I am realistic, and when we play someone in the top four, if we get anything from that it’s a bonus game. I can’t be too disheartened at the way we played at Atherton Colls on Saturday, although obviously no manager likes to get beaten.
“They are, to my eyes, the best side in the league, they have a real buzz about them, and we knew it was going to be a massive uphill struggle. But the lads showed good commitment, they were still trying in the 93rd minute, and with where we are at the moment, I can’t really ask for much more”.
Although many new managers coming to a new club from another league would be tempted to bring in players they know, Steve has largely resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes to his squad since he arrived.
“We have a core squad here now, and I believe that core is good enough to represent Eccleshall next season. Many of the players were here when I arrived, and have bought into what we are doing, and that is a massive positive.
“What we need to do is increase that core, give opportunities to the new lads that have come in and lads that have been on the fringes.
“As well managing at Rudheath I managed the Cheshire County side as well, and that gives me a lot of contacts with players who really should be playing at this level, so that combined with my contacts in the NWCFL works well.
“I think you can see the benefit of that with the players we have brought in, who have shown a desire to play at this level. I’m prepared to take a gamble on them, because I know what they are all about.
“We have also brought players from the second team in, we had Adam Jones, the second team captain, in midfield against Atherton Colls and I thought he was excellent”.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Steve insists that he won’t be using the remaining games to try out new ideas and players for next season.
“Our aim is to finish as high as we can, and set the standard for next season”, he said.
“We don’t want to look back with regret that we could have maybe finished a couple of places higher for whatever reason.
“The lads are prepared for every game to take something out of it, even at Atherton on Saturday, I wasn’t disappointed with the lads because they did try to get something out of the game. But we have eleven games left, 33 points to play for and we want to be taking a positive return.
“Every game is important, if we win it puts another three points on the board and it sets next season’s target that much higher”.
Top Half Target For Steve
Wed 4th March 2015 | Eccleshall
By Ian Templeman
With 11 games left to play, Eccleshall manager Steve Lloyd is looking to build on recent good results and target a top half of the table finish for his side.
Steve took over the managerial reins at Pershall Park in early January, moving to the club from Rudheath Social in the Cheshire League, and since his arrival, his team have picked up three wins and turned in two creditable performances in losing to Atherton Colls.
It’s been a decent start, and Steve says he is happy with the way that the players have responded since he came to the club.
“Our results have come because of players buying in to what we are trying to do”, he said. “Our job is to make sure the players are prepared and organised properly, and their job is to go out and deliver a game plan.
“We’ve worked hard on making sure we defend properly from back to front, and that has given us a foundation to play football.
“I am realistic, and when we play someone in the top four, if we get anything from that it’s a bonus game. I can’t be too disheartened at the way we played at Atherton Colls on Saturday, although obviously no manager likes to get beaten.
“They are, to my eyes, the best side in the league, they have a real buzz about them, and we knew it was going to be a massive uphill struggle. But the lads showed good commitment, they were still trying in the 93rd minute, and with where we are at the moment, I can’t really ask for much more”.
Although many new managers coming to a new club from another league would be tempted to bring in players they know, Steve has largely resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes to his squad since he arrived.
“We have a core squad here now, and I believe that core is good enough to represent Eccleshall next season. Many of the players were here when I arrived, and have bought into what we are doing, and that is a massive positive.
“What we need to do is increase that core, give opportunities to the new lads that have come in and lads that have been on the fringes.
“As well managing at Rudheath I managed the Cheshire County side as well, and that gives me a lot of contacts with players who really should be playing at this level, so that combined with my contacts in the NWCFL works well.
“I think you can see the benefit of that with the players we have brought in, who have shown a desire to play at this level. I’m prepared to take a gamble on them, because I know what they are all about.
“We have also brought players from the second team in, we had Adam Jones, the second team captain, in midfield against Atherton Colls and I thought he was excellent”.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Steve insists that he won’t be using the remaining games to try out new ideas and players for next season.
“Our aim is to finish as high as we can, and set the standard for next season”, he said.
“We don’t want to look back with regret that we could have maybe finished a couple of places higher for whatever reason.
“The lads are prepared for every game to take something out of it, even at Atherton on Saturday, I wasn’t disappointed with the lads because they did try to get something out of the game. But we have eleven games left, 33 points to play for and we want to be taking a positive return.
“Every game is important, if we win it puts another three points on the board and it sets next season’s target that much higher”.
