Reds are up for the fight
Barnsley Manager David Flitcroft met with the media ahead of tomorrow’s trip to face Middlesbrough at the Riverside.
“We’re looking good,” said Flitcroft. “No Daws (Stephen Dawson), Nults (Jimmy McNulty) is getting closer. We’re good to go. Reubs (Reuben Noble-Lazarus) – probably six or seven days out, he took an injury to his groin which is a shame because he’s in a good place at the minute. Apart from that, we have a fully fit squad that’s really ready.
“Jason (Scotland) has come in, we had an understanding, we knew where he wanted to be. He’s somebody who has been massively respectful to the players that have done well for us over the last five or six games. He’s very infectious with his enthusiasm. His touch and link-up, combination play is great.
“I’m loving having the opportunity to work with him and he’s done great up to now for the team. When you see he can go left or right on either foot which is a problem for any defender.
“He’s getting fitter by each training session, but he’s feeling wanted now so that’s giving him twenty per cent more power.”
The Reds boss is hoping for a repeat display of grit and determination from last week’s win at Blackpool – a match which Flitcroft describes as his ‘proudest’ career moment.
“The Blackpool reception I got was quite incredible,” he added. “I stayed in Blackpool Saturday night with the family and they felt it.
“My wife and two kids weren’t happy that I didn’t wave to them but I did to the 1,500 fans! It was probably my proudest day in football really to get that connection with the group who really wanted us to win.”
“The crowd have galvanised that group of players.
“We’ve got to make sure we keep winning football matches.
“What I’ve said to myself is, I’m not going to get bogged down with things I can’t control.
“If you don’t believe as a leader, how can you get a group or squad of 20 believing they can win? We might get done with a mad decision or a bit of brilliance.
“But at the minute, what we’re in control of is that the lads are really committed.”
Boro have lost their last four matches, but ‘Flicker’ insists form is meaningless in England’s second tier.
He continued, “I don’t know whether form applies to the Championship. It’s that up and down, it’s just a leveller.
“Middlesbrough have got beaten in their last four but we’re talking about very, very good footballers here.
“We’re just going to have to get a strategy that’s better than theirs on the day.
“One thing I do know is that the players are fighting for each other and that’s all I’m asking for as their leader.
“I want them to fight for each other and fight for the club.”
With the emergency loan window now open, Flitcroft is mindful of being one injury away from a body blow, but the option of loaning a player is on the backburner at this moment in time.
“At the minute we’re quite comfortable in what we’re doing but we’re only one injury away to finding that other replacement. It’s something we could re-visit at a different point but it’s not something we’ll be looking at over the next ten days.”