Players have the hunger to Reece Hutchinson
Rovers defender says that the team wants to impact after some pundits have dubbed the Bit O’Red relegation candidates
and I am happy with where we are at in that regard heading into the season.”
Another area of concern was the sense not all players wanted to be here last year or were prepared to give 100% in games. This again was a priority Russell was keen to tackle and is encouraged by the character
TWELVE months ago Reece Hutchinson arrived at The Showgrounds as a loanee from EFL League One side Cheltenham Town with plenty to prove.
Fast forward to the build up to the new season and the defender is among those that remain from last year’s campaign, a season that shown amongst the squad he has assembled.
“Players know what’s required and what it means to play here and that they are representing a true community club. You have to leave everything on the pitch and that will feed into your style of play and being able to work through things became a painful yet eventually successful scuttle to avoid relegation.
The 23-year-old – he turns 24 in April – is now seen as one of the senior heads in a primarily youthful senior men’s squad.
When his original loan spell ended last June, Birmingham native Hutchinson had impressed enough to be given a permanent deal at The Showgrounds (until the end of 2024). going against you and I think – as a group – these lads will leave it all on the pitch and fight for each other.”
Rovers, who begin the season with an away game against Bohemians tomorrow, Friday, night (Dalymount Park, 7.45pm), are widely tipped by many pundits and LOI observers to finish in the top tier’s bottom two.
While Russell understands why they are coming to this conclusion, he feels his new group of players are unfairly being judged based on the players they have replaced. “I hear about us being down to finish 10th, finishing in the [relegation/promotion ] play-off spot at best. People are looking at our resources and judging us on what happened last season.
“When you put those things together I see where the so-called pundits are getting that from, but
Hutchinson insists that he is relishing the prospect of having more responsibility in the team.
“I embrace it. Being here last year I know how everyone works. I like to be a good pro and lead by example. I want to show the new players to the club the culture of the place and how it really works around here.
“We know how much Sligo Rovers means to the fans so I feel that every newcomer needs to know that and being at the club starts with hard work and determination.”
Looking ahead to the new season, the left-back can’t wait for the games to begin. He feels there is an extra motivation to prove those pundits wrong who’ve predicted a Rovers relegation this year.
“We’ve had a good couple of weeks judgement can be sloppy and this is a whole new group.
“It is hard for anyone to make an honest assessment of us, their judgement is based on a group of players that largely aren’t here anymore and we have a motivated group of players here keen to prove them wrong.”
While the first round of games represented Rovers’ best run of form last year, clean sheets proved to be a problem. Clean sheets can have as important an impact as goals.
Russell knows this all too well and believes a stronger defensive start can feed into a brighter season.
“Last year it took far too long to get a clean sheet, we conceded too many goals in games and that gave ourselves an uphill battle. I am an attackminded manager who wants to play a certain way and transitions are so important.
“The energy in this team is something we had to address to do that and I think recruitment will prevent us conceding some of the goals we were now pre-season, played plenty of games, a lot of lads have got plenty of minutes and personally I’m feeling as fit as I ever have.
“I read a lot through social media and in the newspapers – it is clear that some people are writing us off already.
He contiuned: “I feel that’s not the case at all, we want to go and challenge for European places. We want to go and challenge for the FAI Cup and I feel we have a good chance of proving everyone wrong.”
Proving the pundits wrong will be no easy feat as Rovers look ahead to the challenge of the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division with a smaller first squad, one that includes several younger faces, a number of them new of this competition.
Hutchinson believes that a