U’s Head Coach spoke to the media ahead of Cambridge United’s Papa John’s Tophy final group stage game against Stevenage…
On squad rotation:
“We have to rotate the pack this week. By the time we have finished this spell, we would have done eight weeks of Saturday-Tuesday, which is busier than last year.
“We are quite looking forward to Tuesday’s game, it gives a chance for some have played less to play which is important, but by changing it up so much you never know quite what impact that will have, but we have to not get too obsessed by that; we have just got to make sure players are on the pitch that need to be.
“We probably have to be careful with the expectation we put on the team because when you put a team together for the first time, it will not be an easy game in that sense, and Stevenage still have a chance to qualify, so there is something in it for them.
“It is really important to us that in this really busy spell we use everybody properly and make sure that we try to get to MK Dons with as many fit and available as possible.
On the squad’s development throughout the season so far:
“We are pleased but there is a lot more to come from us still and there is still other elements that we need to improve and can do better on, and we will have to because the competition will only get harder as we go on.
“It was always the case that we needed to start [the season] well; I think we have done that and now we have to find that sort of constant consolidation and consistency. We just need to keep going and keep developing and improving our game without losing the qualities that we have got because there is lots of those.
On Saturday’s draw:
“I was a bit frustrated Saturday, more because we now have to play the extra game that I do not think we really need, but we have got it now so we will crack on with it.
“It was a different game to what we have played in throughout this season, the FA Cup causes all kind different challenges. It was a very bobbly pitch, a very windy day and different football against a direct team.
“All of those things are contributing factors but in the end, I think we are responsible for what we deliver and I thought we could have done little better in that sense but I was a grumpy old man on Saturday and a bit tired at the end of a busy week, so I am back and re-energised now and I have forgiven everybody and we are back to work!”