18-10-2024, 07:25
The Boss
With seven matches coming up within a three-week period, Paul Heckingbottom is prepared to use the depth of his squad for the upcoming run of fixtures.
PNE’s return to Championship action on Saturday against Coventry City will mark the start of a run which will see North End in weekend-midweek action until the next international break.
Having been pleased with what he’s seen from all of his squad, though, he has no worries about utilising everyone available, although the gaffer's looking for them to show they deserve their spot.
Hecky said: “Everyone will be needed. The good thing is we’ve seen good performances from the boys that have been starting and those that have been coming off the bench as well.
“We’ve had good performances out of 15, 16, 17 people per game which is good because it gives us that opportunity to change the team about when we need it.
“If we just want to change it for energy, if we want to change the starting XI to have impact from the bench, it’s important.
“In the international break, we put a friendly in there to get some players 90 minutes-plus and just targeted the physical outputs in the game, which they did. They went above and beyond what a Championship game would be so that was important as well, coming into this short period with a lot of games.”
The manager is hopeful he’ll be able to choose from all of the players who spent the international break away with their countries, except from the suspended Milutin Osmajić.
Ali McCann was the last to arrive back at PNE and will only return to training on Friday, but that’s not a concern for the manager.
For Coventry City, they head to Deepdale a point and a place below North End in the table, looking for their first ever league victory in PR1.
Hecky said: “He’s obviously lost some good players at the top end of the pitch but replaced them last summer, and again this summer with some big signings.
“I think he’s come out and said that in terms of depth and options at the top end of the pitch, it’s the best he’s had in his squad which says a lot given the players he’s had.
“I can see that in the games. They look really dangerous going forward. They’ve had the second-most shots in the league from counter attacks and the most shots in the league, so it shows they’re an attack-minded team and one we need to be really prepared for and perform well against to get the points.”
With seven matches coming up within a three-week period, Paul Heckingbottom is prepared to use the depth of his squad for the upcoming run of fixtures.
PNE’s return to Championship action on Saturday against Coventry City will mark the start of a run which will see North End in weekend-midweek action until the next international break.
Having been pleased with what he’s seen from all of his squad, though, he has no worries about utilising everyone available, although the gaffer's looking for them to show they deserve their spot.
Hecky said: “Everyone will be needed. The good thing is we’ve seen good performances from the boys that have been starting and those that have been coming off the bench as well.
“We’ve had good performances out of 15, 16, 17 people per game which is good because it gives us that opportunity to change the team about when we need it.
“If we just want to change it for energy, if we want to change the starting XI to have impact from the bench, it’s important.
“In the international break, we put a friendly in there to get some players 90 minutes-plus and just targeted the physical outputs in the game, which they did. They went above and beyond what a Championship game would be so that was important as well, coming into this short period with a lot of games.”
The manager is hopeful he’ll be able to choose from all of the players who spent the international break away with their countries, except from the suspended Milutin Osmajić.
Ali McCann was the last to arrive back at PNE and will only return to training on Friday, but that’s not a concern for the manager.
For Coventry City, they head to Deepdale a point and a place below North End in the table, looking for their first ever league victory in PR1.
Hecky said: “He’s obviously lost some good players at the top end of the pitch but replaced them last summer, and again this summer with some big signings.
“I think he’s come out and said that in terms of depth and options at the top end of the pitch, it’s the best he’s had in his squad which says a lot given the players he’s had.
“I can see that in the games. They look really dangerous going forward. They’ve had the second-most shots in the league from counter attacks and the most shots in the league, so it shows they’re an attack-minded team and one we need to be really prepared for and perform well against to get the points.”
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