Can you cope?
9th February 2006
STEVE Jenkins has thrown down the gauntlet to Town’s relegation rivals and challenged ‘can you cope with the pressure after life in the comfort zone?’
The current table suggests that the side as high as 10th are far from ‘safe’ with just five points separating Iffy Onuora’s men from Tranmere Rovers.
Relegation stress is nothing new for Town and Jenkins, pictured above, feels that could ultimately work to the team’s advantage.
It may be almost five months since Town tasted life above the drop zone but Jenkins points to momentum.
Town’s is definitely heading upwards but the same cannot be said for numerous other teams in the bottom half of the table.
The experienced campaigner said: “We’ve been in this position since late September. We know what it’s all about.
“There are teams who have been in the comfort zone for the last month or two who have now been dragged in to the situation at the bottom.
“It’ll be all new to them. Let’s see how they handle it.”
Jenkins feels Town have handled it admirably and believes nine points from the last 12 doesn’t suggest a team about to buckle.
He said: “We haven’t let being down there so long affect us.
“It’s testament to the lads that we didn’t accept it and crumble.
“There’s a good spirit in what is a good, honest bunch.
“We’re all pulling in the same direction.”
And Jenkins points to Bristol City as an example that the picture at the bottom can change very, very quickly.
He said: “Two weeks ago they were probably thinking they were starting to get out of it. They’re right back in it again.”
Jenkins feels Town have found the right recipe to escape the drop as well, a mixture of silk and steel.
He warns other strugglers that simply ‘playing’ your way out of trouble will not be enough.
He said: “We’ve got the game. We’re in people’s faces, we make it difficult for teams, they aren’t looking forward to playing us and that’s the way you’ve got to go about it.
“Some of these other sides might just fancy themselves as ‘just’ a footballing side and that will automatically get them clear. I don’t think that’s the case. You cannot just play your way out of trouble.”
Jenkins says Town are taking nothing for granted but hard work is paying off.
He said: “Winning brings confidence and that leads to smiling faces.
“We’re learning to win games not drawing games that we should have won.”
The only problem for Jenkins is that the last two victories have come with him out of the side.
Still, he is philosophical about that.
He said: “That’s football. You get on with it.
“You come in to work with a smile on your face, work hard and that’s all you can do.”
I love the bit where he goes all gansta: "we got gaaaame mother fuckers"
HOBO HOBO HOBO!!
