WHEELS START TO TURN FOR SARLL AT BORO
‘MARGINAL gains’ was the brainchild of Sir Dave Brailsford. It’s the idea that turned British Cycling and now Team Sky into the two power houses that conquered the world.
Now, Stevenage manager Darren Sarll is hoping a similar philosophy can see Boro transformed into genuine promotion contenders this season after a muchimproved September.
Impressive home wins over Hartlepool United and Crawley Town, as well as a midweek draw at Cheltenham Town, have given Stevenage some breathing room at the bottom end of League Two.
But Sarll insists he is only looking up the table.
“The facts are very simple. We have made what is very close to a 100 per cent improvement on August,” he said.
“In the end, it was a 75 per cent points increase – four from August, seven from September – so it has been a better month.
“If we constantly see that development, we won’t be too disappointed come the end of the season, that is for sure.
“I think it is important: the need to keep re-evaluating month on month. I have asked the players not to think too much about May. Let’s take it a month at a time.
“If we get our short-term goals right and we achieve what we talk about and set out, then we will be where we want to be.”
He is confident the ingredients are already in place for Stevenage to become a force in League Two.
“What we still have to try to improve on is the balance of the side,” he added.
“I want the best of both worlds – I want really good attacking displays, like against Hartlepool ,and I want the quality of defending, like against Crawley.
“I want it all, and if we try to reach for the moon and hit a cloud, OK.
“But we will strive for that perfection in everything we do and, until we get that, we won’t stop working.”