"The difference between this season and the last is the team spirit," the 22-year-old Irishman said. "From the moment we arrived back for preseason the manager has been drumming it in to us about how we had to be mentally stronger this season. He said we had to have a better attitude and he was right.
"There were some bad habits in this squad last season. The manager and coaches were trying to get us out of them but because we were in Europe and had so many games and so much travelling, I always felt as though we just didn't have enough time on the training field and away from match situations to sort it out and put things right.
"What he has done this time is get players who have the right attitude. They are quality players of high calibre but they are also winners and that's the difference. These guys are inspirational. There is a hunger there and a desire and they have the right approach to everything."
The introduction of a tougher and winninger mentality has been one of the central planks of Sparkyisation. And the purchasing this summer of a number of experienced, trophy-laden players - real champions - has been, if not the culmination, then certainly a significant step forward in this regard.
Of course we've only played one game this season. But grinding out a difficult away victory suggests that this is a mentally stronger City side this season.
3 comments:
Did you really use the "word" winninger then?
Winniger was the name of these two twins at my school. I'm not sure if adapting a Winniger mentality would be that useful.
funny that--i was going to comment on the spirit within the team, namely the reaction to adey's goal and the thought that if you were on that pitch or in that dressing room, looking around you'd think 'let's have some of this!'. that first goal & the togetherness silenced some of the naysayers and put down a marker for further solid performances.
winninger totally threw me off my stride there though. can't wait for saturday's game against wolves, think this is the most excited about our first home game of the season since i was knee high to my dad...
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