As Wednesday prepared for the FA Cup fourth round clash at Everton, Neil Thompson also spoke of the on-going battle to avoid relegation.
With our last two Championship games postponed because of the Covid outbreak at the club and this weekend’s trip to Bournemouth called off due to the FA Cup, we have not had the opportunity since the New Year’s Day win over Derby to try to build on our run of three wins and a draw in the last four league matches.
We have games in hand on several of the clubs above us but currently sit just one place off the bottom and six points from safety and when asked about getting out of the relegation places, stand-in boss Thompson said: “That’s our job. That’s what we are there to do.
“We had a good little run prior to our enforced break and we have got to kick on from that but we are under no illusions, we have got a really tough three and a half months ahead. We are aiming to give that trust and confidence in the players.
“We know the players are more than capable. The Championship is one of the most difficult leagues to play in and I think that bears out when you see the results.
“We have had some good performances. We played really well at Norwich and got beaten at the end.
“We know when we’re at it and performing well that we can compete. We’ll go into every game with that attitude.”
With regard to the vacant manager’s job, Thompson said: “I have been at the football club a long time. Whether a new manager comes in or not, I am quite relaxed about it.
“My job at this moment in time is I have been asked to prepare the team for games and that’s what I’m doing. I’m not putting myself under any pressure thinking ‘I’ve got to do this and I’ve got to do that.”