DANNY COWLEY

HEAD COACH

DANNY COWLEY

GOOD AFTERNOON TO YOU ALL AS WE GET READY TO FACE ROCHDALE IN THE LATEST SKY BET LEAGUE ONE FIXTURE AT FRATTON PARK

It is an absolute privilege for Nicky and me to be at this wonderful football club. We totally understand how important it is to you all and I can promise that we will be working every single minute of every single day to create something that we can all be proud of. We have now been here for 14 days and what is absolutely apparent, is how many really good people there are associated with this club.

Getting to know the players and staff has been great. We have started to build a level of respect and trust which is critical in any successful relationship. The players are an incredibly good group – honest, hard-working and humble. They are really coachable and focused on wanting to be the best that they can be. This works well for Nicky and me because our main ambition every day is to help them improve – both as players and people.

It has been a good start. We did well to come back and secure victory in a competitive match against Ipswich. We got stronger as the contest went on and it was pleasing to win from behind for the first time this season. This gave us an energy and momentum that we were able to take into the next training week.

We were happy with our performance between 10 and 45 minutes in the Shrewsbury game. We had control, rhythm and a dominance to our play. In the second half we couldn’t find the same levels. Our opponents changed their shape and we were unable to find the tactical answers as a new group.

But since last Saturday, we have been able to go back to the training pitch and work on our patterns of play against a 4-3-3. Next time we come up against this system, we will have the solutions that we need. We were pleased with the determination and resilience that the group showed after going down to 10 men. If you want to be a successful team, you have to win football matches in all different ways.

We are working towards becoming a fast, attacking team – one that attacks even when we defend. Our ambition going forward must be to try to win every fixture that we play in. I wish we had a magic wand, but we don’t. However, what Nicky and I do have is a relentless work ethic, an enthusiasm for the game and a real determination to succeed.

Our only disappointment is that we haven’t been able to meet you all in person. We do, though, feel your positivity and your unconditional support for Pompey. This football club can be whatever it wants to be. Only we control our destiny – nobody else gets that privilege. Let’s dream big and create something that we can all be proud of.

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Brian Barry-Murphy and his Rochdale team to Fratton Park for today’s game.

Play up Pompey!

NICKY AND I HAVE A RELENTLESS WORK ETHIC, AN ENTHUSIASM FOR THE GAME AND A REAL DETERMINATION TO SUCCEED

Danny