Just can’t win

Paul Dickov

PAUL Dickov aims to shield his players away from what he sees as damaging, long-standing negativity surrounding Athletic.

While not directly answering chairman Simon Corney’s strong criticism of the players’ efforts against Bury in yesterday’s Chronicle, the manager expressed concern that his men sometimes don’t get the credit they deserve — yet are pilloried when they lose.

“When we win games here (at Boundary Park), it is because the other team is poor, or they had somebody missing,” said Dickov, who watched tomorrow’s opponents Tranmere see off Hartlepool 2-0 at Victoria Park on Wednesday night to move back to the top of npower League One.

“When we lose, regardless of what game it is, people always want to jump on the bandwagon and say how poor we are.

“It would be nice when we win to get a bit of credit — because when we lose, I am the first one to take it on the chin.

“There is a negativity that surrounds the club and it is not something that has been around only in the two years I have been here. It has been here for a while.

“This isn’t me having a dig at anybody. But it is easy when you have a defeat to pile on the bandwagon.

“When we win games, it is not always because the other team is poor.

“It is a negativity we try to keep away from the players. But it is hard, very hard.

“Sergio Aguero stole my thunder at Manchester City (last season). But they still talk about my goal from 13 years ago — when it is not about what happened 13 years ago, five years ago, or last season. It is about what is happening now.

“We believe we are trying to build something here, but it is hard to do that when there is negativity.”

Dickov does not expect tomorrow’s high-flying opponents from the Wirral to approach the game going for anything other than a victory.

Star striker Jose Baxter, who was on loan at Tranmere when an Everton player last season, is still a doubt for tomorrow’s game.