Steve: I banned phones at lunch .. now it’s going like talk work
STEPHEN ROBINSON reckons forcing players to chat and look each other in the eye over lunch helped foster the togetherness of his Fir Park dressing room.
The Well boss reckons the united atmosphere within his squad is a huge part of their strong start to the season – and that didn’t happen by accident.
From the moment Robinson took charge in February he made small but significant changes – including banning mobile phones from the dressing room and overhauling the canteen where the players eat after training.
It was all designed to encourage everyone at the club to form friendships off the pitch that makes them stronger together on it when the pressure is on.
Much of his approach was strongly influenced by what he has seen as part of Michael O’Neill’s backroom team during Northern Ireland’s successful Euro 2016 campaign.
Robinson said: “It’s just small things. They all used to eat in a long line and nobody spoke to each other. But now they sit at square tables and mobile phones are banned.
“I told them if they put their phones down for a minute they might find their team-mates had something interesting to say. If you get to know them you might fight a little bit more for them.
“So phones are not allowed around the club or in the changing rooms.
“Andy Rose was panicking because his wife was due to go into labour – she actually started this morning – so we made an exception for him.
“But even little things like travelling together in the minibus to training helps whereas before they used to drive up in their own cars.
“But the most important thing is they’re also good people in the first place because if they weren’t it wouldn’t matter what we did.
“We did our due diligence to bring in some decent characters because the fact the new boys fit with the rest of the players is a massive thing for a club like ours.
“We work with a squad of 20 and it only takes one or two dissenters to change the dressing room.
“The hardest bit for any of player is not being in the team but these are lads who can handle that and they just train harder to prove to me they should be starting.
“You see someone like Peter Hartley coming in and he fits in straight away. He’s a big character and we made sure we weren’t bringing someone in who could ruin the dressing room.
“I learned from Michael O’Neill with Northern Ireland that the boys who don’t start play as big a part as anyone because they drive the others on. It’s their attitude that decides what your dressing room is like.
“That’s what we have here, players who’re always pushing and I try to give them a chance. And if they do well I keep them in the team so there’s a real fight for places.”