Western Morning News (Saturday)
Taylor: We are still playing for something
MATT Taylor admits that he is not usually one for superstition. That’s what he says, anyway! But even the Exeter City manager tried something different on Tuesday night and, after a 3-2 win against Grimsby Town, he is sticking with it for today’s trip to Bolton Wanderers.
All season, Taylor has been sporting a club tracksuit on the sidelines, but in a bid to change the teams’ fortunes, after seeing them win just once in seven games, he opted for a hoodie instead.
Footballers are known for their many and varied superstitious traits and while not usually one for such rigid routine, Taylor dare not change now as he saw City fight back to win a thrilling game 3-2 on Tuesday night. Now, he will be digging the hoodie out again as the Grecians head to Bolton knowing only a win will really keep their dreams of a play-off place alive.
“I had to try something to change, not necessarily our fortunes, but to change something!” Taylor said. “I can imagine that my hoodie and pants had nothing to do with it, but I will be wearing them again this weekend, that’s for sure!
“I am not really superstitious, but you get into routines as a manager, or as a player. My partner would say I am superstitious and she gives me stick all the time, but football can be very structured in terms of your preparation.
“I just felt something different was needed on Tuesday night but, also, I have been wearing a tracksuit all season, which is something I haven’t done for the first couple of years.
“That’s only because the fans aren’t there so that might change again if the fans came back in the next couple of months or the start of
next season. I am not overly superstitious, but I will be digging it out again this weekend!”
City head to a Bolton side that knows a win will guarantee them automatic promotion from League Two at the first attempt. They are also one of three teams in the fight to land the League Two title, along with leaders Cheltenham Town (already promoted with 79 points) and second-placed Cambridge United (77). Bolton are third with 76.
The Trotters have had a quite incredible second half of the season, winning 15 of their last 20 games and losing only twice. They have not lost at the University of Bolton Stadium since January 2, when John Yems’ Crawley were 1-0 winners, but wins have not come easily with many of their home results decided by the odd goal, something the Grecians can take comfort from.
Exeter will be buoyed by their come-from-behind 3-2 win over Grimsby Town in midweek where two goals in the last six minutes saw them overturn a 2-1 deficit. There really is everything to play for this afternoon and Taylor says his players need no extra motivation for the challenge ahead.
“We are still playing for something. We are still playing to be in with a chance of being in those playoffs at the end of the season, so they won’t need any words going into the weekend, he said.
“They will need structure and preparation in terms of Bolton and the game expectations, but they don’t need my words. The days of long speeches before a game are gone.
“They need simple, clear instructions in relation to how the game will start and feel and then they have to go out and perform and have something to show for it at the end of it, which we hope will be three points.
“In terms of motivation, footballers are hugely driven and we see it on a daily basis.”
Taylor added: “I think it’s a good game for us. It is a pitch and a stadium and opposition that will suit our style of play, but they are third for a reason and a really good team with some top, top players
“We are up against it in terms of it being a difficult fixture, but these are the games you want to be involved in as a manager or as a player.
“The win on Tuesday night game us a little glimmer of hope in relation to the next couple of fixtures, so we have to go and attack this game of football on Saturday and play like we can play, play our style of football and really implement ourselves on this game.”