Lucas: Jimmy and Dino have done more than many thought they could have
JIMMY Floyd Hasselbaink and Dino Maamria deserve huge praise for the turnaround in fortunes they have brought to Burton Albion – but it is too soon to tell them, says longserving Brewers forward Lucas Akins.
Hasselbaink came in as manager in January with Maamria as assistant and Burton have taken 28 points from 14 games since to move five points clear of the League One relegation places ahead of tomorrow’s game
“They’ve been a breath of fresh air and done way more than a lot of people may have thought they could in the situation,” said Akins.
“They deserve a lot of accolades – but they wouldn’t like anyone to say that because nothing has been done yet.
“I don’t want to get carried away because I never take anything for granted in my career and you have to fight for everything you get.”
Akins has made 524 appearances in his career, 313 of them in seven years with Burton, but admits he has never been involved in a season quite like this, in which his team have first been in danger of being cut adrift at the bottom of a table and then affected what is – so far – a spectacular recovery to reach safety.
“I certainly haven’t. It’s a learning curve as well,” he said.
“You never lose that belief in what can be achieved – stranger things have always happened – but when you are in the position that we were in you have to keep positive and I would be lying if I said it was easy to do that and keep a good mindset.
“We’ve shown a winning mentality in our recent run of results but – I know this might sound silly – winning is as easy as losing, once you have the mindset.”
The combination of the new management’s approach and an influx of players who had not been part of such a demoralising run have been the factors for change.
“Fundamental things changed,” said Akins.
“Obviously, we’ve had a huge turnover of players and a manager who knows the place inside out and has had success here.
“He and his assistant both have a vision of what they wanted to do it and they’ve managed to implement that quite quickly, which has been really good.
“That’s been the catalyst for a huge change.
“We still have senior players in the dressing room but I think the younger players have really galvanised us all.
“They’ve come from a number of places and different situations and they’ve all bought in to what the manager has said, about the mentality and the organisation.
“They’ve all got their heads down and worked hard.
“One thing I’ve always had in my time here that’s been consistent, regardless of results, we’ve always
‘DRAWS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ENOUGH, THEY HAD TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING’
have signed good characters, good lads in the dressing room with a good temperament, lads who are honest with a good work ethic.
“I’ve been a part of it here with a lot of players and a few good managers and when you get good characters, they police the dressing room. They look after it and the dressing room looks after itself.”
Hasselbaink has a ready smile but it is also clear that he is a no-nonsense manager who will be ruthless with his players if that is necessary.
Akins believes such an approach was needed in the circumstances. Asked to sum up Hasselbaink’s approach, Akins said: “He’s an authoritarian figure, with a vision.
“Jimmy and Dino like everyone to stick to the plan, positionally and in the way we want to play.
“And they want to win. I know noone wants to lose but we had to do something drastic.
“Draws would not have been enough, they had to hit the ground running.
“They did that as soon as they came in. It’s there to see with the results and massive credit must go to them.
“I’m sure the fans will be proud of the character we’ve showed to give ourselves a fighting chance.
“There would have been nothing worse than to go down with a whimper.
“The way we’ve fought back and given ourselves a chance should, hopefully, allow us to push on and finish the job.”