Interim boss John McGreal says the Blues have to continue the progress made at Wigan at the weekend when they take on League Two Barrow in their second round FA Cup replay on Wednesday evening at Holker Street.

McGreal has said his role is to give the squad a lift in his time in charge, leaving them in a better position for the permanent boss once he is appointed.

Asked how he felt that was going, having been given his temporary role last Monday following Paul Cook’s sacking, he said that the 1-1 draw at Wigan was a step in the right direction and a performance on which to build.

“I’d been in the door a couple of days [as an U23s coach], the manager then left, I then took the interim role, we had a really tough game at Charlton and the boys you could see were low on confidence after that game,” he said.

“All us guys that have come in, myself, Reg [Rene Gilmartin] and Kieron, have done is to lift the players, put on good training sessions, to try and win games of football but also to try and bring a bit of noise and get the players back to what they do best.

“Skip, Sam [Morsy]’s a testament to that, especially Saturday he was outstanding. Some of the performances on Saturday were very, very good to nullify Wigan, who this season have been in good form, to a couple of shots.

“I think we ticked all the boxes on the stats within the game, final third entries, penalty box entries and shots at goal and stuff, so you can see and you can sense a little bit of a change happening in training, filling them with confidence and hopefully now they can kick-on and maintain how we finished the game on Saturday going into this cup game.

“When players are fearful, they don’t play to their best, so we’re just trying to take the shackles off them so they try and enjoy a game of football. There’s nothing better than playing football and at a big club so they’ve got to embrace it.”

Inconsistency has been one of Town’s big failings this season and McGreal was asked whether that might be down to the squad having been assembled virtually from scratch in the summer.

“Possibly, yes,” he reflected. “I’ve been in the building for seven to 10 days. Going on past history as a player myself, it’s confidence. It just comes down to confidence at times and getting to grips with certain elements of your own individual game.

“That’s the thing really, sort your own individual game out. Working hard on the training pitch and then bringing it all together in the games. That’s how then you get your levels of consistency.

“I said before, there have been a few false dawns throughout the season. Big away wins. When the guys come back to a home match they need to put on some decent home performances.

“We’re just trying to get that consistency into the guys because there are some really top, top players here from the Championship and good players in League One that want to progress and move forward and at this moment in time, that’s our job to try and play without a little bit of fear.

“Try and stop the opposition in a way, nullify what they do but then also be on top of our game when we do get the ball.

“That’s been a big part, taking the ball in tight areas, and I thought we started to do that in the second half on Saturday, especially late in the second half.”

He says it’s very important for the team to play with confidence at Barrow on Wednesday.

“Hugely because you’ve got to take the ball and it will be a tight pitch,” he said. “You don’t know the condition of the pitch, it didn’t look overly the best after the game they played on Saturday, but again, there are no excuses whatsoever.

“We’ve got to do what we do well and we’ve got to improve again from Saturday. Saturday was a good step in the right direction, but again we need more and there’s no better way to do it now than on a TV game in a replay to get through to the third round.”

McGreal had praise for the Blues support at Wigan on Saturday, who he said played a big part in securing the point against the Latics.

“Huge. I had good friends in the away end on Saturday,” he said. “It’s a bit different to Colchester, don’t get me wrong, but the fans were brilliant.

“I keep going on record about our fans, they’re brilliant, they’re second to none and especially at the level we’re at at the minute, they do come in their thousands.

“It’s a credit to them. I keep saying, it’s a couple of weeks before Christmas and they’re turning up in their hundreds, nearly 1,500 I think were there at the weekend.

“It’s testament to each and every one of them, the way they support the club and all we’ve got to try and do is put on performances to make them happy because it is a long, long journey to travel back.

“That second half, it went hand in hand with the fans, they showed their support, our guys picked up a lot, finished the game strongly and we want to continue that in the FA Cup.”

Photo: TWTD

markchips added 14:59 - Dec 14 It would do the whole club a world of good if we can win this with a decent side. No point whinging about sitting in a coach for a few hours, that is part and parcel of being a professional footballer. Get the job done here and then worry about SUNDERLAND AFTERWARDS.
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Unhinged_dynamo added 15:17 - Dec 14 Give him the job
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tractor_lady added 15:23 - Dec 14 He speaks so well - let's hope that translates
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bluewarrior added 15:25 - Dec 14 McGreal has been impressive in the way he had conducted himself. Given his obvious passion for the club, I would put him up with the best of the named contenders so far.
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ArnieM added 15:44 - Dec 14 You read this and you tell me McGreal is not the man for the Town job !
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Bazza8564 added 16:02 - Dec 14 I dont think he is, sorry I went to Wigan and i thought we were poor, and so did all the Town fans I spoke to. Feels like the Media is feeding a bit of false positivity, unanimous feeling on Saturday was get the new FT manager in quickly, and us much as I admire JM its too big a job for a guys who's coaching is so limited.
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Suffolkboy added 16:05 - Dec 14 Get in there JMcG ,we like what we see ,we like what we read ! COYB
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ArnieM added 16:09 - Dec 14 It changed though didn't it , once Pigott came off and Norwood came on …and also Aluko. It's about sticking with a team on and off the pitch and going with it . This season was never going to happen given the level of changes through the club. The interview above is McGreal saying it how it is …that's not media spin , in my humble opinion . I was only able to watch the first half via iFollow, then lost connection…but Pigott and Bonne were woeful at keeping the ball, and were playing so far away from Wigan's box they were never going to be a threat. The one player we really miss is Burns…he makes it happen in the box. But we need a someone like Norwood in there . Pigott, for me, just looks lost at this Club so far. Can we afford to wait for him to click?

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blue86 added 19:12 - Dec 14 Bazza8564, ok so the performance at Wigan wasnt that good, but we got a point. Also, Jim mcgreal has managed us for two games on a temporary basis................. after two games you can tell mcgreal isnt the man for the job yeah? What if the new manager does not win his first two games 15 nil? Will he not be good enough aswell? I'm not saying mcgreal is defo the right man, but as things stand would get my vote. You cant judge mcgreal after two games lol give the poor man a chance.

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Stato added 19:13 - Dec 14 We had 10 shots and 3 were on target. I'm surprised anyone would think any boxes got ticked on those numbers.
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Dissboyitfc added 19:43 - Dec 14 If JM got it until the end of the season i would be fine with that, If Harris gets the job i will be mortified and i dont think the fans will give Harris time either, not a popular choice!
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