Gill: Takeover Came As a Surprise But It's Exciting, Massive For the Club Saturday, 10th Apr 2021 18:34 First-team coach Matt Gill admits that news of Town’s takeover came as a surprise to him when it was announced on Wednesday but says it’s exciting and a massive thing for the club. Gill was asked to cover the post-match press conference by manager Paul Cook, who also skipped Friday’s pre-match meeting with the media. Reflecting on the 0-0 draw with the MK Dons, the Blues’ second successive stalemate with three of the last four Town matches having ended goalless, Gill said: “A good clean sheet, another clean sheet. There are lots of positives to take from today. We need to be slightly better in the attacking half, obviously. “Show a little bit more care in moments where we can make better decisions maybe. But lots to take away from today and take it into Tuesday.” Regarding Town’s lack of a goals, an issue throughout the season, he added: “We are working immensely hard to improve our attacking play. I think we’re in a stage of the season where we want to keep clean sheets, of course. But we also need to punch at the other end of the pitch. “We tried something slightly different with Aaron [Drinan] and Dobs [Armando Dobra], who did great, so that gives us another option.” Asked whether that was something which came from their performances in training, he said: “The manager wants players to train extremely hard, some of the boys have been playing U23s football to make sure their fitness is up to scratch and all the staff have seen something from those boys to play today, and obviously it’s the manager’s call. “They deserve a huge amount of credit for what they did today and we just have to make sure that we take lots of the stuff into Tuesday.” Kayden Jackson wasn’t included in the 18. Quizzed on whether the striker, who had started the last two games, was fit and well having not been involved, Gill said: “No, not today. Tristan made the bench today, which is brilliant for him. What he’s gone through the last 18 months to two years, to be back and firing, and everyone in that dressing room is so pleased to have him back involved and huge credit to him and the medical team.” Nydam, who returned to competitive action two years to the day after his last senior match, made an impression when coming on in the second half. “There’s nobody going to be just making up the numbers or just sentiment in anyone making an appearance at this football club, what we’re involved in is too big,” Gill continued. “We need to be collecting points and wins between now and the end of the season. “We were trying to press a little bit more in the second half, trying to get on that front foot a little bit more. “Bish and Doz had done that superbly with Flynn in the first half, it’s just about using the five subs, getting energy on to the pitch and using it to your advantage.” Gill was also pleased to see Flynn Downes return to the team after a month out with a hamstring injury. “Brilliant wasn’t he?” Gill enthused. “Him as an addition into the squad or any team is going to be a positive and it was really good to see him out there today.” Asked how far off James Norwood and Kane Vincent-Young are from returning to the side, he said: “They’ll be assessed tomorrow when everyone’s back in. As you can imagine, everyone in the squad is trying to get fit and trying to add some value to the squad on the run-in.” Town remain eighth, three points off the play-offs with seven now to play and Gill says the opportunity is still there for the team to make the top six. “That’s right, seven games, a real opportunity to get ourselves in that play-off mix, with a little bit of momentum,” he said. Quizzed on where manager Cook was, Gill responded: “I think he’s chatting to a few players in there at the moment and he asked me to come and do it.” Turning to the takeover of the club, the first-team coach said: “For me, it’s been pretty similar. Train the boys, get on the training pitch, try and add some energy in and around the training ground. The lads know they’re close to trying to achieve something between now and the end of the season. “I think that it was only announced Wednesday and as far as the training ground at the moment, nobody’s seen anything different. It’s just business as usual for us and obviously it’s exciting times ahead for the club. “It was a surprise for me. Obviously I’m not privy to conversations that happen upstairs. As first-team coach I try and stay away from all that. “I think that it was a surprise for lots of us. But, like I said, exciting times and everyone is just concentrating on what they need to do, sort of stay in your lane and do your job and try and add some value to what we’re trying to achieve.” Has it been unsettling? Has he been at a club where there has been a takeover previously? “I think I’ve been in football long enough to know it’s an unsettling industry, you do your job to the best of your ability and it is an exciting time for the club, it is a massive thing. “I’ve not been involved in a takeover before. It’s just about doing what you get paid for, doing your job, trying to add some value to what’s going on and hopefully we can have a positive end to the season.” Despite another 0-0 draw, Town’s overall situation remains the same in the final weeks of the season, starting away at AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday. “There are going to be loads of ups and downs between now and the end of the season even now it’s only seven games,” Gill reflected. “We’ve got an opportunity again on Tuesday, win on Tuesday, it’s four points from the two games, you move on quickly. It’s important that we’re positive on Tuesday and really try to win the game.”
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