Source: FOOTYMAD
Love Is In The Air
Getting the best out of players can be the result of how you treat them. When you think of Steven Pressley hands up those who instantly think of love? OK, those two at the back can put their hands down now. While we have our own thoughts on Pressley, love is the atmosphere he hopes to create with his Falkirk players as he bids to build his managerial career. After securing a win in his first home game in charge, Pressley faces his friend and former coach Peter Houston on Saturday when the newly-appointed managers meet at Tannadice. Houston had to be persuaded to take the Dundee United job after ruling himself out during his stint as caretaker boss as he felt he was too close to the players from his time as number two to Craig Levein in the good cop-bad cop set up. However, Pressley, who took over in similar circumstances following the departure of Eddie May, is keen to develop the bond he enjoyed with his players when a coach and used to enjoy with Houston while playing for Hearts. Pressley said: "He (Houston) was always close, he was very much the link. When you move into the management side, there is no reason why you can't still have that togetherness and closeness with the players. I like that factor. You want to love your players, you want to be with them, you want to be together in everything you do. You want to create a unity and spirit within your club that others are envious of. I want to be close to my players, I want my players to be able to knock on my door and come and chat about things and I want to be able to have a joke with players. Of course there has to be respect but respect has to work both ways, and that's how I operate here. But I want us to be close." Whatever atmosphere Pressley has generated at Falkirk, it paid dividends when they beat Aberdeen 3-1 to stay in touch at the bottom of the SPL. While Falkirk had impressive results and displays under May they often struggled to follow them up and Pressley is now looking to build some momentum. He said: "The players deserve enormous credit because being rooted to the foot of the table for the vast majority of the season isn't easy, but they have come in day after day with a positive attitude and the result at the weekend will only enhance that. We have to keep moving forward and demanding these types of performances. The players set the standards at the weekend - I knew they were capable of that and hopefully now they know they are capable of that. Tannadice is a difficult place to go but I think our players will believe they can get a result, because I certainly believe we can get a result there. "If we can do that, the momentum builds and the confidence grows." Editor Ger Harley (ger@scottishfitba net)Admin Team (admin@scottishfitba net)This is Scottish-Fitba Net
