Lincoln City will use the international break to build on an encouraging start to life in the Championship.
With eight league games due to be completed before the pause, we have begun to establish ourselves at the higher level. However, the interruption comes just as performances and results have given us some momentum, leaving Chris Cohen with mixed feelings about the timing.
“I think the aim for the eight league games that we’re going to have had is to just give ourselves a platform to build from going into the main part of the season,” he said in today’s press conference.
“I think we’ve been able to do that. Obviously, the points tally’s brilliant. And definitely, in these last five games, we feel like we’ve really found our rhythm in terms of our out-of-possession work, our solidarity. And from that, we can grow everything else.
“So yeah, probably ready for a break, although when you’re winning games, you also like a little bit of rhythm. So not the best point, but not too bad.”
That platform has been built largely by the players who helped take us out of League One. For Chris and Tom, the early results have also helped reinforce a message they have been delivering since taking charge.
“The most important thing, I think from the very first day that me and Tom walked in, was to try and help the players believe in how good they are. A lot of players that have come up from League One, I think ten of the starters from the other night were players from our League One team last year, and we just know. We just have so much faith in them.
“And they believe in themselves, but there’s always going to be a question when you’re moving up to a new level and a level that quite a few haven’t played at. So I think with results, that just naturally gives it to them, and the performance has been an absolute bonus as well.”
We are learning what this group can do against Championship opposition, but those working with them every day already had a clear idea. Cohen rejected the suggestion that their performances had surprised him.
“No, genuinely not. It’s just lovely that everyone else gets to see it. Obviously, the sixth highest league in the world, and the amount of people that are watching, all the games are on the telly, or most of the games are on the telly. So all the bits that we’ve seen over a number of years with these players, plus some wonderful new additions and some new additions that are chomping at the bit to get their opportunity.
“We just know what they’re capable of, and it’s just nice for everyone else to see it. But in terms of me, Tom, the staff, there’s absolutely no surprises. We back them to the hilt.”
The break offers an opportunity for those still waiting for regular involvement, although international departures will reduce the numbers available. With some players needing minutes and others having barely missed any, the work will have to reflect individual circumstances.
“It’s a really important time for sports science in terms of we’ve got so many players in so many different positions fitness-wise. Obviously, I think we’ve got six or seven that look like they’re going away on international duty, which is amazing for them, and we’ll try and track their stuff.
“And then we’ve got players, Conor McGrandles, who’s played pretty much every minute of every league game, and then we’ve got other players that haven’t played anywhere near as much as that. So we just have to get the balance right physically, whilst, again, for me and Tom, we’ve got an opportunity to spend some time with these players, got an opportunity for new players to go back to our principles and show again and go into a little bit more detail with them.
“And yeah, we’re really looking forward to just proper training sessions and time on the grass, time off the grass with them, whereas the last few weeks were obviously manic with the amount of games that we’ve had.”
While for many people surrounding the club (like me) we’re looking at a couple of weeks downtime, the work never stops at Lincoln City. With the current league position, whatever happens on Saturday means we’re able to take those weeks off in the comfort that the club is exceeding expectations.
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