Spirit is right says Karanka
BOSS SAYS THAT UNITY IN DRESSING ROOM IS A VITAL INGREDIENT OF SUCCESS
THE challenge facing Nottingham Forest and Aitor Karanka this summer was a clear, but not necessarily straightforward one - build a squad that is capable of winning a place in the Premier League.
With Michael Hefele becoming signing number 12 today - and the club still working to make Sam Byram number 13 - the work the Reds have done in the transfer market has been, without question, hugely impressive.
For once, deadline day events were never going to have a huge impact on the hopes and dreams for the season, because Forest had already done the majority of their business, with a blend of efficiency and ambition that has rarely been seen, in recent years, on the banks of the Trent.
But, ahead of the visit of Reading this weekend, what of that all important question?
Does Karanka believe he now has a squad capable of winning promotion?
The answer, in an indirect fashion, is perhaps a case of “let’s wait and see” - but what is not in doubt, is that the Spaniard is a satisfied man as Forest head into the loan window, still only needing to strengthen in one position in the side, at right back.
“I have a squad that can try to win every single game,” said the Forest boss. “To say that we have the squad to win promotion is difficult, when you look at the market and the teams.
“Look at Aston Villa, who everyone said was destroyed - now they are signing players. Everyone was expecting Grealish to leave, but now he is going to stay.
“Middlesbrough are signing players, Derby have signed players, West Brom and Stoke are signing good players. It is going to be difficult, because everyone wants to achieve the same aim.
“I wanted to bring in good players, but I also wanted really good characters. It is impossible to achieve something as individuals.
“You can have the best 11 players in the world and you will not achieve anything (unless it is as a team). It is much better to have a strong dressing room. I said a few weeks ago that it was a surprise for me; a nice surprise, when the players had a night out in Marbella and all of them went together.
“It was amazing for me, because that is the thing I wanted to build. I
wanted to build a strong changing room, where everyone understands their role.
“When you have a strong changing room and everyone understand their role, for sure, the team will be strong on the pitch.”
This is a theme often repeated by almost all of the new additions, who have all spoken about the unity and spirit in the dressing room.
It has long been a traditional throwaway line for new signings, as they find their feet at a new club. But, at Forest, you sense there is substance to it.
And Karanka is certainly pleased by the spirit he sees among his players.
“On the bench on Saturday, everyone was looking at the pitch, but when I turned to the bench I saw that everyone was excited; everyone was supporting the team,” said Karanka. “They did not care if they were on the bench or if they were playing.
“The staff, the subs and the kitman were all pushing the team.
“For me, it is really important to have 22 to 24 players who are all determined to win games; who do not care if they play or do not play because they know they will have a part to play.
“You want players to accept their role and they are doing that so far. We just want them to keep believing in the team.”
Reading have a slightly corny, but still quite heart-warming tradition of their own, which involves including ‘The Reading fans’ as their 12th man on the official teamsheet, when playing at home.
Forest are unlikely to take that particular step, but Karanka is in no doubt about the role fans can play, following Tuesday night, when the atmosphere at the City Ground was noisy, passionate and hugely partisan.
“It is vital... I could feel them really enjoying the game, because I said always that they are a big part of the process,” said Karanka. “It is not the same to play here in a normal atmosphere, in comparison to playing in the atmosphere we had on Tuesday.
“I know, I was a player, when you are on the pitch and you cannot give more - and you have the support of fans - you find a way to do more. At the end, it is important and I am really pleased, because they could feel the improvements and the changes at the club.”