Johnson challenges his Gulls side to go on a run
TORQUAY United manager Gary Johnson believes energy and concentration are the keys to turning round United’s shaky start to the season.
Last week’s 1-0 win over struggling Southend - clinched by Connor Lemonheigh-Evans in the last minute - gave the Gulls their first win at home, and only their second in the opening seven games. Now they face a trip to high-flying Chesterfield for a 5.20pm kick-off in front of the BT Sport cameras tomorrow.
Things don’t get any easier for Johnson and his squad. Before the Southend match he told them that some of them weren’t good enough, and changes would have to be made.
Beating Southend was just the reaction he was looking for, but Johnson’s players know that more is expected of them.
Speaking at his weekly press conference at the Seale Hayne training ground near Newton Abbot, Johnson said: “We’ve had a win - now we need to put a run together.
“I’ve got faith in the lads, and in them having the right mental attitude.
“But if some of them prove, over a couple of games, not to be good enough, then of course we have to keep building a squad that we think is going to win the league.
“I think the lads have learned over the last six or seven games that we’ve not been consistent enough. The ability shown has not been good enough.
“But while we’re looking (for new players), we’re not going to grab the first person who walks past our training ground and drag him in.
“While we’re looking, our players will always get that opportunity to prove themselves, and in a way what I said helped me try to get the best out of some of them.
“You’ve got to be ready every game, and on song, so we’ll see which ones have taken that on board.”
“We can’t just go there and watch Chesterfield play.”
Johnson believes the later kick-off and the presence of the TV cameras will make little difference for his squad, who will be well prepared.
He added: “I think they’ll be looking forward to it.
“We’ve got to make sure that they’re not thinking about the cameras, they’re thinking about the game.
“It’s nice to be on TV, but once you’ve kicked off you don’t know it’s 5.20, or three o’clock, or Sunday, or Tuesday.
“You get into a state of total concentration and total focus. They’ll just be thinking about the game.”