Cowley: Why it can take me some time
PORTSM0UTH manager Danny Cowley says it will take time to get things right at Fratton Park after his side suffered a third straight defeat on Saturday.
Pompey had 10 points from seven games ahead of last night’s game at home to Plymouth Argyle and Cowley referred to his time with Lincoln City as an example of sorting things out.
He got them promoted from the National League – but not before a sticky start when he took over.
“It has always taken me time, if you look back throughout my managerial career,” he said.
“I remember winning the league with 100 points at Lincoln and we got to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup but it wasn’t until October, when we drew 3-3 at home to Aldershot, it still wasn’t right.
“Sometimes it is not a big change, it might be only one personnel change, maybe a little slight tactical tweak and I remember, in that game, we found that way.
“We wanted to be a high pressing team but we had Matt Rhead and Matt Rhead wasn’t the most mobile forward.
“It was like trying to work out how we could still press high and I remember staying up with Nicky (his brother and assistant) until about three o’clock in the morning and we were arguing whether it would work or not and he convinced me, to be fair.
“We went 17 unbeaten after that and we literally put Matt Rhead like the most unique number 10 in football history.
“He locked down the opposing team’s six.
“He didn’t like to run but had to keep bright and he was like our conductor, he organised everyone really well and he wouldn’t have to run so much.
“That little tweak created that team and the success that they had.”