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Club News

Keates: play with more freedom

20 February 2019

Club News

Keates: play with more freedom

20 February 2019

Manager Dean Keates has urged his players to play with more freedom when the Saddlers take on Bradford City this weekend.

The Saddlers started the season with four wins in five games - and the boss is eager for his side to rediscover that kind of form.

Although Keates knows the Bradford game will be challenging, his message to his players this week has been all about positivity and enjoyment.

“We have tweaked things a little bit this week,” said Keates. “We have to take the chains off so to say.

“The players have to play with more freedom. 

"They have to get back to how they were at the beginning of the season.

“You can be 11 stone but you'll be running around and feel like you are 15 stone.

“We have to take that weight off them. The players have to go out there and enjoy the game again.

“At the end of the day, it’s a game of football. They need to cross that white line and enjoy it.

“They need to play without fear. There is no fear, fear has stifled us.

“But I want them to go out and enjoy playing this weekend, enjoy the challenge of trying to get a result for the football club.

“We have to rise to the challenge. There is pressure there but we have to deal with that.

“The lads were in a similar situation last year and they came through it.

"They need to draw on that experience, add to it and remember they have done it once - they can do it again.

“We have got 13 games left to play, there are a lot of points still to get on the board and we are in a position this weekend where we can address that.”


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