Former Leeds and Sheffield United boss says mood in Crawley Town camp ‘definitely different’ ahead of Oldham Athletic trip
Crawley Town interim manager Kevin Blackwell has felt the mood in the camp improve ahead of their trip to Oldham Athletic this Saturday (October 31).
The Reds earned a 1-1 draw with Tranmere Rovers in Blackwell’s first game in charge last Saturday (October 24).
Blackwell, 67, was appointed after former head coach Colin Kazim-Richards was sacked on October 21 with the Reds at the bottom of League Two.
But the former Leeds and Sheffield United boss believes he has already seen a change in the Reds players in his eight days in charge so far.
Blackwell said: “The training mood was definitely different, that's for sure. But as I said, I've got to say as a coach that they've got to perform every week like that.
“I'm not interested in one game. It's about continuing a performance level that's consistent over many games, and that's what we've got to put right.”
The 67-year-old took over at the Broadfield Stadium with the Reds winless in the league since August.
They sit six points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table, still in search of their second win of the season.
Blackwell said: “I think it's never easy when you're not winning because sport is all about winning, and if you get on a run where you consistently lose, it makes it very hard.
“But like I said, we saw how the lads reacted on Saturday – unfortunate not to win the game really, but markers have been set down.
“They've set a standard. Now, I want that standard to get better and better. So, I want us to improve across the board in everything that we do, but certainly it was a good start for them.”
And on whether the performance against Tranmere can give his side confidence, he added: “I think it gives them a bit of belief. If they follow instructions and they do their jobs, it shows what teamwork and organisation can do for you.
“And that's really what I'm looking for now, that we move on from there – and it's building blocks. Slowly, we're building team understanding, roles, responsibilities and, as I've said, the guidelines are put down.
“Now I want to see them follow them without the coaches having to shout and scream and tell them all the time. I want to see that they take the responsibilities in games to make the right decisions. And from what I've seen in training, they've been doing that quite well.”
The Reds could bridge the gap to the 20th-placed Latics to three points with a win at Boundary Park on Saturday.