No comeback but boss stays upbeat
WITH two more defenders injured, Jake Buxton was asked this week if there was any chance of him putting his boots back on to help out.
The manager shrugged and laughed. He knows he had to work very hard to stay on the pace last season and that was when he was training regularly. He has not trained at all this season and the description “player-manager” was soon dropped.
“The boots are in the back of the car for when I go to watch the kids play,” he said.
What is not in doubt, though, is the frustration the manager feels with not being able to influence things on the pitch as much as he would like.
It will be the case for every manager, for virtually all of them have played to some level and Buxton must have been prepared for it.
He might notice it less if the Brewers were not struggling for form.
“There are areas of the game the staff can control: preparation for games, making sure training is to a good standard, travel and accommodation, food and looking at what to expect from the opposition,” said Buxton.
“But, ultimately, when the players go over the white line, as previous managers have said to me, it’s over to the lads.
“Individual errors are hard to take as a manager but we’re not at Premier League level. Players will make mistakes, they will give the ball away and we will have penalties given against us which are our fault.
“But if the players stop running, stop trying, shy away from the ball and don’t give everything they’ve got, that’s when we’ll have a problem, if they stop working hard for their team-mates and for the club.
“I’m not going to fall out with anybody for making individual errors. It hurts and it’s costly to concede goals from set-plays as we have done but it’s part and parcel of the game.”
There was just a suggestion, a feeling, that the prospect of a fourth defeat on the trot looming when Plymouth Argyle were 2-0 up and cruising on Saturday dented the confidence of the Albion players.
Buxton saw it too but he is adamant that, so far, his players are giving him everything and he cited examples.
“There’s a possibility of that but in all the games we have gone behind, we have been trying to the death,” he said.
“We hit the post at 4-2 down against Swindon. We condeded early against Portsmouth and had a good reaction – we got ourselves 2-1 ahead.
“Individual errors will have an effect on the team and it will always be hard to get back into the game.
“But the players are running around in training, enjoying it, working hard. That’s fine. If that’s not the case, I will let people know.
“There have been blips in the performances but the lads are fine. They are positive, they know what is required.”
As Burton go in search of, at least, a clean sheet and ideally at least a point against Bristol Rovers today, Buxton remains convinced he has the makings of a good squad, if they can clear up the early-season injuries.
“We are getting about 16, 17 players fit and available for selection at the moment but I do think when we get the others back we’ll have a good squad,” he said.
“I feel that the squad is stronger, although I know results haven’t shown that yet.
“I believe that when we get going, the squad will be as good as it has been for a while.”