No quick fix for Grezza

Fleetwood boss Graham Alexander has urged fans not to expect instant success with the club in the throws of a painful rebirth.
Graham AlexanderGraham Alexander
Graham Alexander

Supporters took to websites and social media to criticise the manager following Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Oldham Atheletic - casting doubts over the quality of the strike force he has assembled.

But Alexander made it clear there would be no more quick fixes at Highbury with the club building for the long term.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However, he will be hoping for a glut of goals at Gigg Lane this evening to lift the pressure on himself and his squad.

Town created more than half a dozen good chances to hit the net in Saturday’s defeat.

But Alexander isn’t one to panic - taking solace in the fact his side have never been more creative.

He said: “The frustration is still there but there’s no point looking back and trying to change that because it has happened.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We’ve just got to look back, see what we could have done better, particularly with the goal.

“I watched it again on Sunday and we created a lot of opportunities.

“We created more than we have done at any stage last season.

“We’re just not taking them at the moment.”

One thing is for certain, Alexander and Fleetwood are going to press on with their new model - chairman Andy Pilley hoping the club can break even this term.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Alexander said: “We won’t change the course of our path - we’ll continue playing the way we are.

“We’ll continue to try to improve the players in the squad because we knew we had to work hard with them because of the newness and youthfulness

“Even if we’d won the last two we’d be doing the same things.

“We have to look at the positives, feed them to the players and make sure they continue to do them.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The former Burnley and Preston defender is under no illusion about the task ahead - starting tonight at Gigg Lane against the newly promoted Shakers.

They took a bizarre point on the opening day thanks to a walk-in goal which made headlines worldwide - Doncaster boss Paul Dickov gifting the Shakers an equaliser after his side accidentally scored trying to sportingly give the ball back.

A 2-2 draw with well-fancied Swindon on Saturday kept David Flitcroft’s side unbeaten as they continue to ride the crest of the promotion wave.

Alexander will have done his homework but remains more focused on his own camp.

“We know of Bury’s strengths,” said the Fleetwood boss.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“They did great getting promoted last year, we’ve played them before and it’s been tough against them before.

“But we’ll focus on our players.

“When we started this process more than 12 months ago we didn’t envisage it being an overnight success.

“We did talk about the problems we might have - as a board and management staff.

“We talked about the process you have to go through with young and inexperienced players.

“We’d like to have got more points in the first two games

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“But it’s the first two games of a season where we’re evolving the club as well as the team.

“Things don’t happen overnight - we’ll be patient and stick with it.”

And he emphasised that going out and buying a striker wasn’t an option - Town unable to spend anywhere near what it would take to recruit a proven League One hitman.

For Alexander and Fleetwood success must come a different way.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: “We still have the same drive and ambition as a staff and a club.

“It’s not a quick fix programme we’re going through now.

“It’s can we build, can we bring young players through our own system.

“Can we identify young talent, bring it in and make them evolve with us and that’s hte process we’re going through.

“There will be negative moments but I can’t get past the positives of it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I’ve been asked by the club and I agree with it, to put a process in place to create a different club than it has been in the last 10 years and we are two games in.

“Anyone expecting instant results - a team of 20 year olds with five games under their belts to be top of the league in League One, there’s a bit of kidology going on there.”