Ahead of Saturday’s league match at home to Worcester City (3:00 KO), manager Tim Flowers has looked at the match at hand and the latest at the club. He starts with a frank reflection on Tuesday’s game…
Following the point at Leiston and having the chance to come back at home – you look forward to it, especially with the backing of the home support, as you try and get a win on the board which, with our three games undefeated beforehand, could have got us eight points adrift of fourth bottom.
Unfortunately, it was a horrendous performance, that nobody can take any credit from. When I set a team out normally, whatever the result, they give everything – and I know they were, but it just looks on the eye that you ask yourself what are we actually doing?
Defensively, from the front backwards, was a horrendous display of decision making. There was a lack of energy and we got punished – we could have played anybody in the division and it would have been the same outcome. When you play like that, you deserve what you get, and we have to acknowledge that.
I spoke to the lads at length after the game, and we had a chat briefly on Thursday, and we will before Saturday’s game. The truth is, at Step Three, if you don’t go out and give it everything you’ve got, there aren’t many teams that we would find ourselves good enough to beat.
There’s one or two at the top of the division that could maybe have an off day and win, but the rest of us can’t do that. I couldn’t actually say to anybody afterwards – I thought you did alright. But, since I’ve come back here, one thing that has happened until Tuesday is that the boys have given everything they’ve got.
It’s pretty much been the same story here for the past few seasons – being in this position in the last quarter of the season. It’s always been a fight for survival, as it was the last time I came in.
I know it’s become boring – it’s become boring to even me – but I’ve spoken to five or six lads at other clubs this week. In the end, something will drop right for us, and the luck will change in the recruitment department.
This is a really good football club, with a great fanbase, who are probably too used to this scenario now. The board and the consortium coming in want that to change and I want to be a part of that. 600 were there the other night for a relegation battle – imagine if that’s a game to try and move us into the top five – you could double that crowd easy, as we saw with the Redditch game.
I’ve been here eight weeks, but this process will take 18 months. I’ve got the revenue to get players, but a lot of them don’t fancy coming into a dogfight. If you look at this club, it has the potential to move forward in the forseeable future and I really want to be part of that; I want the supporters to come, walk up town and enjoy their football team – that’s what I’m trying to achieve.
But players have got to want to come, to play for the club, the town and its people – and if they don’t, they aren’t really for me. We’re toughing it out right now, and we’ll tough it out tomorrow.
I’ve seen Worcester twice this year, as Alvechurch manager and in the Worcestershire Senior Cup recently. They’re a good team, who have recruited pretty heavily during the season. Brandon Smalley, Charlie Lutz, Luke Rowe, Josh Ezewele from us, Harry Burns, Connor Stanley, Matt Richards – there’s been a complete overhaul of their team in a pretty short space of time.
They’re a good side, with good players, and they’ve bought them in by using their financial muscle. It wouldn’t surprise me if they crept into the play-offs. We’ve got a massive game on our hands, and we have to front up. We have to show backbone and commitment, that this football club deserves.
I’ve told the lads that I can accept results at times, but I have to see the hard yards because people will have to be changed if so. We’re coming into the last part of the season and we need everybody on board – the lads have done okay, and let’s just say that Tuesday was one to forget, and we have to crack on. But, I’m under no illusions, that I’m always looking to bring people in and will do so until the window shuts next month.
