Interim first team manager Tony Daws has previewed this weekend's National League fixture away at Southend United.
He started, saying: "We’ve got to refocus and look towards this Saturday and Southend away. It’ll be a tough game. They’re an ex-EFL club like ourselves, and looking to get promotion themselves. We’ve got to go there, be ready, and face the challenge that they bring us.”
Daws further spoke about the National League and the competition within it. He said: “If you look at the league, it’s full of ex-EFL clubs. With only two getting promoted, it doesn’t provide much opportunity for teams to go up. It’s a strong league and I believe it's equally as strong as League Two from what I’ve seen so far. There are some good teams in it, and some very big powerful teams too.
“We have to ensure we acclimatise to the league as quickly as we can and compete. We have to compete with Southend, try and get the ball down and play, and at the same time also try and get a result as well.”
Daws spoke about how training has been this week, saying: “Training has been good this week, they’ve worked hard, and we’ve done a lot of work on out of possession play and defending as a team. The lads have taken everything on board.”
He continued: “We did an 11-versus-11 on Thursday morning which went well. We have to refocus and move on to try and pick some points up in every game this season. Climbing the league table is the most important thing for Scunthorpe.”
Several players are returning to the squad this weekend, and Daws spoke about their importance. He added: “There was a bit of illness, some weren’t allowed to play, and one or two were injured. Hopefully, we have two or three players back this weekend which gives us more opportunity for selection and more competition for places.
“The lads have worked hard and been good in training so we just have to make sure we transfer that to the pitch now, because that’s the most important thing. It’s no good being the best trainer and not turning up on a Saturday afternoon. We have to turn up and we all have to be man of the match. If that’s our attitude then we have a good chance of doing well.”
The interim manager provided an update on Jacob Butterfield who missed last weekend due to a head injury. He stated: “Jacob’s forehead has healed well, he obviously has a bit of a scar there now. He missed training in the early part of the week but he’s been back in and doing fine so he will be available for selection.”
He then went on to provide a fitness update on the rest of the squad. He said: “We’re all okay. Jordan Hallam is obviously injured (hamstring) but working really hard to try and regain his fitness, and his ability to train on a regular basis without picking up an injury. Liam Feeney (hamstring) is also working hard and he’s got about three weeks left. We’re hoping to get those two back as soon as we can.”
Daws also spoke about the opposition, saying: “They’re a big team and they play 3-5-2 or 3-4-3, they mix it up a bit. From what we’ve seen in the clips they try and get the ball down and play, they don’t concede many but they don’t score many either, and we’ve spent plenty of time looking at video evidence of their games.
“It’ll be a tough game, they’re all tough games, but they’re at home and want a win as well so it’ll be a difficult one for us. We have to be up for it."
Finally, the boss spoke about the importance of the fans support going away, adding: “The fans have been great and I totally understand their frustration and disappointment last week because I share it with them. I’m a Scunthorpe United fan myself and I’ve been associated with this club for a long time, and I desperately want us to do well.
“We’re not going to win every game we play, not even top Premier League teams do that, so we have to try but sometimes we have to be gracious and accept what comes. We’ll be up for it on Saturday. The fans have been absolutely brilliant and they were last week against South Shields, so thank you to everyone who travels and gets behind us. Hopefully, we can get a result for you.”
See much more from Tony Daws and Rob Apter on Iron Player.