Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Points not landmark important to Pearson
NIGEL Pearson takes charge of his 500th game as a manager when Queens Park Rangers visit Ashton Gate today.
However, rather than celebrating the landmark, the recently-appointed boss is keen only to celebrate three points for his Bristol City side.
Pearson, who began his career in the dugout at Carlisle in 1998, wants the Robins to bounce back from their midweek defeat at home to AFC Bournemouth.
“The next target is trying to win this (QPR) game,” Pearson told the official City website. “(Cardiff City boss) Mick McCarthy is hitting 1,000. I just think of it as a number that’s ticked off, but I just want to win the game for our reasons.
“I recognise it and it’s been a very interesting journey. At one point I didn’t think I would manage, so to stand here I’m certainly a different style than I was at the start, but I’m quite a bit older as well.”
He continued: “Regardless of how people view our season so far, I’ve seen a really good attitude and application. We just need to build on that and good results obviously help with confidence.
“As I keep saying, I’m looking for the performance to be right, and if we get that right we always have a realistic chance of winning games because we have the qualities.”
The City manager also discussed recovery and the focus between games, which continue to come thick and fast.
Pearson said: “Recovery strategies are very important of course from a physical element, but the players are used to the quick turnaround.
“We just have to make sure our preparation is as good as it can be in terms of how we approach the game as a tactical battle and making sure our players feel good about themselves. That’s the important thing.
“I really want us to concentrate on ourselves and continue to strive to get our performance right.
“I look at the Bournemouth game and the disappointment is in the way we conceded the two goals, but there were so many positive aspects to that performance as well.”
DARTS: Bristol’s Steve Brown had to forfeit his UK Open second-round match against Scott Waites in bizarre circumstances in Milton Keynes.
Brown said there was no space to sit down in the practice room, so he made his way back to his hotel room at the other end of the complex to relax before his match.
He started watching other games on television and lost track of time, before seeing Waites warming up on stage on his screen.
A mad dash across the venue was in vain as he was timed out and thrown out of the competition.