I’M GARNER GET MORE
Preston ace Joe Garner tells rivals to keep trying to play mind games
COVENTRY boss Steven Pressley did his best Jose Mourinho impression last weekend by trying to plant a seed of doubt in the mind of in-form Preston striker Joe Garner.
But Garner, 26, says that anyone who tries to put him off course with talk will have little success.
With Garner having scored in three consecutive games ahead of the Ricoh Arena showdown, Pressley made a public plea to referee Tim Robinson.
Pressley said:“He likes to throw himself on the ground to get fouls. I hope the referee reads my comments because he does go down very easily.”
The Ricoh chief has since been charged with misconduct by the FA over his comments.
But, even the most one-eyed Sky Blues supporter could have expressed little complaint when Seb Hines tripped Garner inside the box and Robinson pointed to the spot.
Garner scored for a fourth game in a row to keep last season’s beaten play-off semifinalists flying high again.
And the former England U19 striker – who went into the weekend with seven goals to his name this season – warned rival bosses any more attempts at mind games simply will not work.
Garner said: “I’m confident in my own game that I will score every time I go on the pitch. I don’t take any notice of what people might say.
“I didn’t see Steven Pressley’s comments, but I heard about them after the game. I don’t mind what he said. I guess that’s the way he thought he could put me off my game.
“I suppose it’s a compliment. I just want to get my head down and play my football.
“We’ve had a couple of decent wins lately and the atmosphere around the place is very good.The fans seem happy and the players are very confident in what we’re doing.”
Talisman
Preston boss Simon Grayson describes Garner as the club’s “talisman” and he appears to thrive in his new lone-striker role.
In less than two years at Deepdale he has made more first-team appearances than at any of his previous four permanent employers: Blackburn, Carlisle, Nottingham Forest and Watford.
Garner, who signed a two-year contract extension in August, says a bit of love is all he needed.
“It’s the same as anything in life, if someone shows faith in you it’s going to bring out the best in you and Simon Grayson has done that.”
Garner, who bagged an impressive 24 goals last term, added: “His record speaks for itself, he’s very good tactically and, at the minute, everything seems to be going well.The gaffer is great and my family is from up here, so it’s nice to feel settled.
“You’re always going to be happier once you get a run of games. At Nottingham Forest I was in and out of the team and, when I played, it was usually out wide.
“I played out wide at Watford as well, but I’ve always seen myself as a striker and now I’ve got that role at Preston I’m scoring goals to back that up.
“I’ve never played as a lone striker before this season, I’ve always played in a 4-4-2. But it’s a new challenge and something I’m enjoying. I think I’m growing into it a little more each week.”
Chairmen at Football League clubs will vote next month on whether ‘plastic pitches’ can be permitted.
Preston installed an artificial surface in 1986 and played on it for eight seasons. However, last week, at initial informal discussions, it was made plain a 3G surface is not about to return to Deepdale.
Lilywhites players, though, may have to get used to different pitches around the country and Garner is sympathetic.
He said: “It’s something we would have to adapt to.
“In the lower leagues it’s important that games are on a Saturday from a financial point of view.
“Postponements can hit a club hard. So I’m not surprised they are looking at all ways to ensure the games are on.”