McDermott backs Reading FC to keep their heads

Anthony Smith • Published 1 Dec 2011 15:13 0 Comments

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READING FC boss Brian McDermott is confident his players have the mental strength to cope with the intense pressures of a promotion campaign.

Any suspicions about a lack of confidence in the squad have been dispelled in the past week following successive 3-2 wins against Ipswich Town and Peterborough United.

Neither were vintage displays from McDermott's men, but they dug deep and eked out back-to-back victories for the first time this season to leave them just outside the Championship play-off positions.

And McDermott, who celebrates his second anniversary at the helm later this month, declared: "We've shown great mental strength during the two years I've been in charge.

"I have great belief in my players and they never stop going. You only have to look back at the last two games to see examples of that.

"We never look for draws, we are always trying to win games, even when it looks like we aren't playing well. It was a bit like that on Tuesday but we stayed with Peterborough and got our rewards in the end."

However, he did concede: "My heart rate was fine, but there was an edginess in the stadium on Tuesday.

"It transferred onto the pitch and there was a strange atmosphere. But once we got the second goal it settled us down and the third sealed it."

If anything, Saturday's victory at Ipswich was even more tense as Alex Pearce and Noel Hunt both scored in injury-time to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 win.

"We were the better side but somehow found ourselves 2-1 down," argued McDermott. "But when we equalised in the 91st minute I knew we could go on and win it, and we did.

"Tuesday was different because Peterborough played very well. But we hung in there and Adam Le Fondre and Hal Robson-Kanu made a real difference when they came on.

"They both scored with top drawer finishes which were impressive under the pressure. It's massively important to have players like them who can make an impact."

In last week's Chronicle McDermott revealed he set his players a target of at least seven points from three games which would leave them better off points-wise than at the same stage last season.

That means they only need a draw from Saturday's trip to Ian Holloway's Blackpool, though Royals will no doubt be looking for the win.

"Blackpool were a Premier League side last year, they have a very good manager and it's no surprise they are going well again," he said.

"We will look at their team and work out a plan, but the main focus will be on ourselves.

"We saw this week as a three-game period. We've got two wins and now we go looking for a third."

Reading, however, are sweating on the fitness of Noel Hunt, Mikele Leigertwood and Jem Karacan, who have picked up knocks but played through the pain barrier on Tuesday night.

They will be without suspended captain Jobi McAnuff for the encounter.

This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 01 Dec 11

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