Stand up and be counted

Paul Dickov: team giving too much away

Too easy for opposition, Dickov tells players
PAUL Dickov wants his men to start fighting fire with fire, in order to lift Athletic out of an early-season hole.

Successive defeats in the opening npower League One fixtures leave the club at the foot of the table ahead of tonight's trip to Scunthorpe United (7.45pm kick-off).

Athletic's manager remains as resolute as ever in his determination to turn things around.

After seeing too many bowed heads among his players after goals were conceded against Sheffield United, in the Carling Cup against Carlisle and also at Yeovil — despite outplaying all of those sides in patches beforehand — Dickov wants his young team to be mentally and physically sharper when encountering setbacks.

"In each of the three games we have played so far, we have been in the game," said Dickov. "Then as soon as we have lost a goal, heads have gone down.

"What we have to do is work hard on the training ground and get back to being hard to beat.

“It isn't just wanting to win games when we have got the ball, but also doing our jobs when we haven't got the ball and shutting teams down.

"It is a little bit too easy for the opposition to go through us at the minute.

"I don't believe the boys are not trying, but when things aren't going right they are feeling a bit sorry for themselves.

"I have watched the Yeovil game over and over again from Saturday and that is the thing that disappoints me.

“I don't want to keep banging on about team shape but it is so important, at any level."

Dickov also emphasised that he is not overly worried about the club's lowly status, barely two weeks into the season.

"It is two games in and yes, we are bottom of the league," he added. "I acknowledge that.

"I am not happy about it but this time last year, we were top of the league after two games.

"I didn't want to read too much into it then and I don't want to read too much into it now.

"But I do want to address where we are going wrong."

Though no new faces are expected in time for tonight's game, Athletic's manager continues to battle hard in the player market to strengthen the squad.

"We are working hard because we know the squad is lightweight, but it is not easy to find the right players," he said.

"There is no point me asking to bring in someone who is on £4,000 to £8,000 per week.

"We are two or three short, possibly more."