They say you should never change a winning team, but sometimes, of course, a manager has no control over this. Suspensions can kick in – along with the odd injury that might force the gaffer to change things around. As far as I am aware, there have not been any injuries on the training field this week, which is encouraging, and even James Norwood is steering clear of the referee’s notebook these days, so it may just be that manager Kieron McKenna fields the same eleven again.
If Town were to win again that would be three wins on the bounce, and we have to go all the way back to 1936, and a certain Mick O’Brien, to find a Town new manager who started with three wins out of three! It has been an excellent start for the Northern Irishman, and he will hope to continue this trend tomorrow afternoon in Lancashire.
McKenna hinted that his squad has been hit by one or two minor knocks in what has turned out to be a very intensive training schedule throughout the week. “Obviously it’s a long training week, so over the course of a week you can get one or two little things, but we have good numbers, no major issues at the moment, touch wood. We have no big issues with illness, so we’re pretty much as strong a position as we were.”
If McKenna was to make changes then they would surely be enforced. Our performance away at Gillingham was arguably one of our best displays of the season, and he is clever enough not to tamper with a winning team – unless he really has to. Bersant Celina is of course knocking on the door and he might find a place on the bench. Hayden Coulson is still too far away from contention and we have heard very little about forgotten man Jon Nolan, who has been out for what seems like an eternity, and today his best mate Toto Nsiala move to pastures new, as he signed a new deal with fellow League One rivals Fleetwood Town.
Yes Frank i agree never change a winning team unless players are carrying knocks. Some managers might change the team to counteract another teams formation which i could never understand you should let them worry about you. I think McKenna is a bit cautious about bringing in more players that could upset the mood of the camp. We will probably need to get rid of one or two more anyway. Now that McKenna has raised the bar in standards i can see one or two shock departures imminent which might upset some fans. As long as McKenna gets results i couldn’t care less as im not one to have a favourite player.
Agreed Keith.