Oxford United head for Leyton Orient on Saturday looking to continue their excellent form despite a change at the top.
Liam Manning’s departure means that Craig Short takes charge of the U’s, having helped them go through in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy on Tuesday with a 5-0 win over Chelsea Under 21s. Now the former Everton and Derby defender turns his attention to a game at a ground where he has mixed memories.
“I last went there in 1989 playing for Scarborough and I got the absolute runaround from their centre-forward” he joked with iFollow. “It was tough that day and I’m sure it will be another tough game on Saturday. They have just won promotion, they are a well-coached side full of good players and they have lost something like one in their last seven games. But we are in good form as well.
“I can’t fault the players this week, they have been excellent. On Tuesday night they were playing at the end of a day when the Manager had left and they had to just keep their focus. Then we came in and trained today and the intensity was there and we looked in good shape, as we should be after the run we have been on.”
There was a new face in training as Craig explained.
“Yes, I asked Pat Lyons to come in and help me this week” he said. “I worked with him for seven years at Derby and he is an excellent coach. Obviously Liam and Hoggy left and then James Krause has also left to join them today so I felt we needed another pair of hands. James was thoroughly professional on Tuesday and helped for the match and I thank him for that
“Chris Hackett has also been excellent but he still has his duties with the Academy teams so Pat has come in and been a massive help. I want to thank Tim and the Board for that actually because they understood and were really supportive.
“The one thing we want to do is keep the continuity and keep the momentum while the Board find a new Manager. We won’t make massive changes and one or two players pressed their claims on Tuesday, as you want them to do.
“We know the away end is sold out and we know they will be right behind us so we will prepare properly, we will be ready and we will do all we can to get another three points on the board".
See the whole interview plus the thoughts of Elliott Moore in iFollow now
