Clarity and confidence

Photo: Darren Robinson

BACK ‘HOME’ . . . John Sheridan is all smiles as he prepares for his second stint as manager of Athletic.

JOHN Sheridan selected a side to beat Bradford tomorrow before he had even taken a training session.

Promising to send out line-ups that take the game to the opposition, the returning boss told reporters he won’t deviate from playing two up front. With Rhys Murphy primed to start alongside Jake Cassidy, the man who has three goals in his last four Athletic appearances could be the next to work with Sheridan to hit the 20-goal mark for the season.

Murphy has 12 for the season, nine of them on loan at Crawley, but there are still 22 games left to play.

If his players can attack with the force he intends, the ex-Chesterfield, Plymouth and Newport manager will put out teams that serve up the sort of chances a confident Murphy thrives on.

“I picked my team on Wednesday,” said Sheridan at yesterday's media conference. “I know what it is and how we are going to play. We will go there to try to win. It will be a tough game.

“They are strong and have a really good manager, who has been successful. But I want to concentrate on what we are going to throw at them.

“It is important we try to win games and I will play attack-minded sides. I always play two up front, all the time. That's my system. I want my strikers to score goals and every club I've managed has had a 20-goal a season striker.”

A popular and energising appointment for supporters, Sheridan has no lingering ill-feeling over his sacking of seven years ago.

“The way I left previously is just one of those things in football,” Sheridan added. “I have grown up a lot since then myself. Whether I felt that was the right decision or not, that has gone now.

“At this moment, I know where we are and it's difficult for everyone involved at the club. It is frustrating when you are losing and in a precarious position. But I know the fans will be right behind us and it's important we all stick together and push on.”