Source: Northern_Echo
Todd hopes to tame the ?Mad Dog? pack
WITH Darlingtons season starting with a whimper, the last thing theyd want to face this afternoon is a mad dog.
Martin Allen, who earned that label during his days as a midfielder terrier, brings his Cheltenham Town side to The Northern Echo Darlington Arena in search of a victory that would seal Quakers worst start to a league season.
Confirmation that Colin Todd has secured the services of Sunderland youngsters David Dowson and Jamie Chandler on loan until Christmas was a rare bit of good news as Quakers look to reverse a run of four consecutive defeats that has tethered them to the foot of League Two.
Robins boss Allen was brought up surrounded by football, with dad Denis, uncle Les and cousins Clive, Paul and Bradley all professional players. His mad dog playing days, that saw him become a cult hero at West Ham and QPR, may be behind him, but when Todd contacted him during the summer to trade thoughts on the upcoming campaign, Allens response was typically blunt.
I spoke to Martin in the close season, recalled Todd.
He said to me, welcome to the rat race. But Ive found that that its worse than that! said a rueful Quakers boss who is delighted to include a trio of Sunderlands most highly-regarded academy products in his ranks.
Chandler has done extremely well. He and Dowson have come to this football club because they have ability, a work ethic and they can help us.
Without the loan players our squad would be desperately thin on the ground. So Im grateful for Steve (Bruce) for letting us keep them, along with Jordan Cook, until the turn of the year.
It hasnt been an ideal start for them but in situations like this you find out what theyre made of. Cook came on for his debut against Crewe and he found it very, very difficult, but down at Port Vale he began to show what he is capable of. Chandler is becoming a man already.
It is 59 years since Quakers lost their first four games of the season and defeat this afternoon would secure Todd an unwanted place in the record books. But the manager is refusing to be distracted.
I am not aware of statistics.
All we do is try to get a win, he insisted. Even if wed won three on the bounce wed be looking to beat Cheltenham.
We know what we need to do to turn it around. We have to take opportunities in front of goal and be more consistent in retaining the ball. We cant reflect too much on the scores so far, that is history and we start afresh on Saturday. Todd has demanded his players match Cheltenhams combative style and said: Martin has a reputation for his sides being strong, aggressive and having a good work ethic, so we need to match that and keep the ball.
I know Martin from when I was at Bradford and he was Brentford boss. We were 2-0 up and he hauled Sam Sodje off and that was only after about 30 minutes of the game. Ive done that myself and Martin is the kind of manager who expects his players to match his own high standards or hell quickly let them know about it.
Once the players go over that white line the managers and coaches may as well go for a drink. They have to be right in their heads. Players let themselves down by not being prepared properly; they have to be very strong mentally.
We have to make sure this season turns on Saturday. I think we are preparing them well enough but the longer it goes on, the tougher it will get. Deano (Windass) has been working hard with the strikers and hopefully we can see the result of those efforts against Cheltenham. Defender Paul Arnsion has not recovered from a hamstring strain but Todd expects to have him back for the Johnstones Paint Trophy tie with Lincoln on Tuesday.
He added: Im hoping to get a behind-closed-doors game next Wednesday to give a few of the lads, like Josh Gray, a chance to build up fitness.
