The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
NOTHING TO PROVE . . .
Posh - Former star returns to the ABAX for the first time
Erhun Oztumer insists he has nothing to prove on his return to the ABAX Stadium on Saturday.
The 25-year-old midfielder is back at Posh for the first time since his contentious free transfer to League One rivals Walsall in the summer.
Oztumer was a fans’ favourite at Posh and won’t celebrate if he scores for his new club against his old one.
“Of course there is more of an incentive than normal to do well on Saturday because I’m playing against my old club,” Oztumer stated.
“But I don’t feel I have anything to prove to anyone.
“I had a good time at Posh and my feelings for the club will never change.
“It was disappointing the way it ended, but I’m happy with the way things have worked out and I’m certain Posh will continue to be suc- cessful.
“I’m looking forward to a great game between two good footballing sides.”
Posh manager Grant McCann echoed those thoughts.
McCann is expected to recall left-back Andrew Hugh- es to his starting line-up and could hand a first start to highl y-rated 17 year-old striker Deon Moore.
Grant McCann wants his Posh team to learn how to win ugly and to dodge defeat when not playing well. The Posh boss is convinced the League One promotion race will be heavily congested this season so the ability to grind out results when below one’s best will be vital.
A 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United last weekend dropped Posh to ninth place, but they are just six points off both first and last place.
“No-one will run away with League One this season,” McCann stated.
“It would be great if we can put a good run together and get away from the rest, but the table at the moment suggests it is going to be a tight division for the rest of the season.
“Picking up points when you’re not at your best will therefore be important.
“I watched( leaders) Scunthorpe draw at home to Charlton this week and they didn’t play well, but they found a way not to lose and that’s a skill we must learn. We have played very well at times this season, but as soon as we let our standards slip we drop points.
“We haven’ t really done 0-0 draws at this club, not in my time at the club anyway, but sometimes that’ s a good result.
“You won’ t always play well so finding away to still get a result is important .”
Posh start a hectic little spell of five matches in 14 days when Walsall visit the ABAX Stadium on Saturday.
Posh are also in League One action at Shrewsbury on Tuesday( September 27) and Southend on October 1 before hosting MK Dons in the Check a trade Tro- phy (October 4) and Bury in a League One match to be televised live on Sky Sports on Saturday October 8.
For now McCann’ s thoughts are all on beating Walsall.
Posh have won just one of four League One matches at the ABAX so far this season. They were also beaten heavily at home by Swansea and Norwich U23s in cup matches. “We have to sort our home form out,” McCann added.
“That’s something else that will be important in such a competitive division.
“It’s not been good enough in the last couple of seasons so Saturday gives us a chance to start putting that right.
“Walsall are a good side though. They were excellent last season, but lost a lot of players in the summer.
“They had to re-build, but they are starting to show some better form.
“Last week they beat Bolton despite playing with 10 men for most of the game.
“Bolton put them under a lot of pressure, but they weathered it to pick up a very good result.
“They have quality in their squad, but we must impose our game on them.”
Grant McCann: ‘Sometimes 0-0is not a bad result.”