SPORT DAN WITH A PLAN!

COWLEY: TOWN PLAYERS STARTING TO BUY INTO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO

It’s been a totally fresh start for Cowley and the club and his starting line-up against Millwall included only three players who were regular starters in the Premier League towards the end of last season: Christopher Schindler, Jonathan Hogg and leading scorer Karlan Grant.

“We are starting to build something and you can feel there is a coming together,” said Cowley, who is waiting for fitness updates on Terence Kongolo and Alex Pritchard.

“We feel people are now starting to understand the values and processes we like to work with - and you can feel the players are buying into that.

“You just have to have a plan. You have to have something you believe in and can work towards and, while we are still talking about building blocks in the development phase, we are getting there.”

He added: “The second half against Millwall suggests if we can stay brave and commit, we are going the right way.

“I said to them at half-time, it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

“I would rather see us really commit and maybe concede a goal as a consequence, because sometimes the biggest mistake you make is trying not to make mistakes.

“For us and for the group that we have, we have to make sure we play. At times that means risking the ball.

“If it means that to try and draw the opposition on so we can create one v one moments for our attacking players with space, then that is what we have got to do.

“That is how we will create a game plan which sets up our players for success.”