Manager happy with the recent progress, but insists his side shouldn't get carried away ahead of the visit of Ipswich
Dougie Freedman believes the Whites are on the right path, but insists the side shouldn’t get carried away ahead of the visit of Ipswich Town at the Reebok on Saturday.Strikes from Kevin Davies and Chung-Yong Lee secured a 2-1 victory against Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday evening, extending Freedman’s unbeaten start with Wanderers to six games.
The 38-year-old has praised the hard work and commitment of his players as they prepare to welcome Mick McCarthy’s rejuvenated Ipswich Town who continue their battle against relegation.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Freedman said: “There is a long way to go but I think we are seeing glimpses of what this team can achieve - we now need to keep the consistency up, and that is the big question that we have to ask ourselves because you need consistency in this league. The games come quick and fast and hopefully we can keep that up.
“I have to take my hat off to the lads as they have been fantastic in terms that they have taken on board what we are trying to do on the training ground and they are trying to put things that are wrong right, and credit to them.
“The fans are right behind us and you can not underestimate how much of a part they play. When you are tired and the opposition is throwing everything at you, these fans roar, sing, shout and make as much noise as possible and this spurs you on as a player, and hopefully we can find some consistency and move up the league. But it doesn’t happen overnight. There is still a long way to go put we are on the right path.
“Ipswich are fighting for their lives as they are down the bottom, and we can’t think for one minute that we are going to just turn up and turn them over. My players don’t have that attitude about them, we will brief them with exactly what Ipswich have been doing, and an idea of how we can break them down, and if we can go by in that way and keep up our consistency then we can beat any team in this division.
“McCarthy is there to do a job and try to keep his team u and if you watch them in the last three or four games, they are fighting very hard, when you get that in a team it is going to be very hard for us.”
Freedman has been happy with the rotation of his squad and insists that players must be prepared to step into the starting line-up when called on.
He added: “It is not planned to keep making six changes but I feel it is a mixture of me seeing as many players as I can in different positions, and luckily we are picking up points at the same time, and it is a chance to freshen the squad up.
“I would like to settle a team down eventually but at this time I think you have to be ready to change at a drop of the hat and be bold. I can be bold and if I get it wrong I will tell you that I have got it wrong - I don’t have a magic wand and I can’t always get it right.
“I know tactically what I have in my dressing room and I have a fair idea about the intensity in this league, and I know that you have to bold and change things around. I am paid to make decisions and decisions will be made for the benefit of the fans to see a fresh team and a team that is at it and winning games.”