Forget the draw, win the game — Latics boss

PAUL DICKOV . . . the Athletic manager reckons his side are in for a tough time at Adams Park tomorrow.

PAUL Dickov wants his players to be totally clear about their goal in tomorrow’s game against Wycombe: goals

While some think a draw might be enough to hammer the final nail in Wanderers’ relegation coffin and preserve Athletic’s position, the manager says a half-hearted approach will be counter-productive.

Dickov reckons his men are in for a difficult battle. Having not scored in more than eight hours of football and amid five successive losses — the worst sequence of the season — Athletic face at Adams Park a Chairboys outfit defeated only once at home in three months.

“If there are any other thoughts in people’s heads than winning, it gives you a greater chance of losing,” said Dickov, whose side is 18th, three places and six points better off than tomorrow’s opponents.

“We must go down there with a positive attitude. We need to have a determination to win the game. The reality is, if we go down there and get a positive result, it stops us looking over our shoulder.”

The Scot is determined to keep his spirits up: “For lots of reasons, it has been the most difficult period since I took over,” he added. “These are the things that make or break you. I have been up against it before. It makes you stronger in the desire to prove them wrong.”


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