Source: FOOTYMAD
Dickov relishes challenge
"we are at our best when we are written off" As Athletic prepare for their opening league game against Sheffield United, manager Paul Dickov has no fears that his team are being rated as underdogs by the bookies. Good odds are being given as the Latics face the season being tipped as one of the favourites for relegation. Dickov said, “I won't mention it to be boys, as they probably already know it, but we are at our best when we are written off. It doesn't bother me what others think. All I am worried about are the players in the changing room and I know they are going to give me everything in every game. It will be a tough division and between 12 and 14 teams could win promotion and vice-versa be involved in the battle against relegation.”“We are all climbing walls waiting for Saturday to come. The danger is that they (Sheffield United) are going to become over eager and we need to calm them down. We need to sign quality players because we know it is going to be a much smaller squad this season. If there was any criticism it was the team picked itself too easily last season and we want strong competition for places. And if that means waiting longer for the right players, that is something I am prepared to do as they will have to have the right character." "We stressed to the players the importance of hitting the ground running. They had their own programmes and came back fit with the intention of getting fitter. You can see how our fitness levels have improved with each game as have our performances. It would be easy to look at results and se we have beaten Blackburn, Wigan and Blackpool and drawn with Burnley and think everything is alright, but we have to take that not only into Saturday's game but also the next 10 months. It is a tough, tough start, but one we are looking forward to.”
