15-08-2024, 20:19
Interim manager Mike Marsh will be heading back to familiar surroundings this weekend when he takes North End to Swansea.
Marshy spent a couple of years working under Steve Cooper with the Swans and very nearly helped take them to the Premier League.
This Saturday, though, he’ll be at the top of the away dugout as he continues his reign as interim boss, following the departure of Ryan Lowe.
Watch Marshy's Interview Here
Marshy said: “It was a great period of my life. I had two years living down at Swansea. It’s a lovely place to live with some great people. I really enjoyed it. I look back on it with real fondness.
“We’re going there for three points. It’s always better when you beat someone you love, isn’t it? It’s like when you’re playing against your brother, it’s always that little bit sweeter when you can get a victory over someone you’re really fond of. If we can go there and get three points, it’ll be great.
“They’ve got a lot of very good players. I think the style’s stayed pretty much the same, they still want to play football and take a lot of risks. I’m sensing an opportunity that we can go there and if we’re at our best I think we can give ourselves a chance.”
Luke Williams’ Swansea City began the 2024/25 campaign with a defeat on the road against Middlesbrough, before securing a safe passage into the second round of the Carabao Cup thanks to a win over Gillingham.
North End also came out on top in round one in Marshy’s first game in charge, and he then brought the team into training on Wednesday – a scheduled day off – for more valuable time on the training pitch.
He said: “I think it was important because we’ve had a change around. It’s an opportunity to get the lads in who didn’t play on Tuesday night. The lads who played recovered and the lads who didn’t, trained.
“There’s been a couple of subtle changes but football’s football. You can’t reinvent the wheel. We’re just trying to do things in a slightly different way just to freshen it up for the players.”
The interim boss confirmed that Ali McCann would still be sidelined, although the midfielder will return to training on Monday. It’s imagined he may be a couple of weeks away from being in contention.
Jeppe Okkels – who joined the club earlier this week – has spent the past few days on the training pitch, and will be available for selection.
Marshy said: “We saw him yesterday and we’ve seen him today. I think it’s taken him by surprise the intensity of training.
“He’s obviously come from a different league. He hasn’t done much training the last few days and he’s had the pressure of a move abroad.
“I think he just needs to catch his breath. He’s travelling with us, whether he’s included time will tell.”
Marshy spent a couple of years working under Steve Cooper with the Swans and very nearly helped take them to the Premier League.
This Saturday, though, he’ll be at the top of the away dugout as he continues his reign as interim boss, following the departure of Ryan Lowe.
Watch Marshy's Interview Here
Marshy said: “It was a great period of my life. I had two years living down at Swansea. It’s a lovely place to live with some great people. I really enjoyed it. I look back on it with real fondness.
“We’re going there for three points. It’s always better when you beat someone you love, isn’t it? It’s like when you’re playing against your brother, it’s always that little bit sweeter when you can get a victory over someone you’re really fond of. If we can go there and get three points, it’ll be great.
“They’ve got a lot of very good players. I think the style’s stayed pretty much the same, they still want to play football and take a lot of risks. I’m sensing an opportunity that we can go there and if we’re at our best I think we can give ourselves a chance.”
Luke Williams’ Swansea City began the 2024/25 campaign with a defeat on the road against Middlesbrough, before securing a safe passage into the second round of the Carabao Cup thanks to a win over Gillingham.
North End also came out on top in round one in Marshy’s first game in charge, and he then brought the team into training on Wednesday – a scheduled day off – for more valuable time on the training pitch.
He said: “I think it was important because we’ve had a change around. It’s an opportunity to get the lads in who didn’t play on Tuesday night. The lads who played recovered and the lads who didn’t, trained.
“There’s been a couple of subtle changes but football’s football. You can’t reinvent the wheel. We’re just trying to do things in a slightly different way just to freshen it up for the players.”
The interim boss confirmed that Ali McCann would still be sidelined, although the midfielder will return to training on Monday. It’s imagined he may be a couple of weeks away from being in contention.
Jeppe Okkels – who joined the club earlier this week – has spent the past few days on the training pitch, and will be available for selection.
Marshy said: “We saw him yesterday and we’ve seen him today. I think it’s taken him by surprise the intensity of training.
“He’s obviously come from a different league. He hasn’t done much training the last few days and he’s had the pressure of a move abroad.
“I think he just needs to catch his breath. He’s travelling with us, whether he’s included time will tell.”
Why should a man go to work, if he has the health and strength to stay in bed?