MANAGER: The players take criticism on board

“I have to say a massive thank you to the supporters today,” he said. “The performance and the way we all stuck together shows how far this football club has come in a very short period of time. We’re constantly changing and evolving and that’s good news for us all.

“The fans played such a big part in getting us the points because of the way they believed in what we were doing. We were at home and two down with just 15 minutes gone, but they really stuck with us. 

“That tells me we’re starting to grow the unity I’ve been talking about for a number of months now. It’s something you need to grow from the changing room to the coaching staff, and through to the board of directors and onto the fans. We were looking right into the face of adversity this afternoon and we all stuck together. When you have that it’s when you start to get results.

“I’ve been at clubs before where you’re two goals down and the environment is so tense the players don’t want to play in it. You can hear everything when your home crowd is against you. We had some grumbles but overall everyone wanted the same end result.”

On the way his side started the game, he said: “We’re bound to be disappointed with that because we gave cheap goals away and it left us with a mountain to climb. We gave Yeovil a sniff of weakness and you can’t do that so early in the day.

“With the goals we’re conceding at the moment, I wouldn’t mind if they were unstoppable wonder strikes, like the first goal down at Plymouth. That was a good goal and you can accept things like that. 

“We’re definitely not happy with some of the goals we’re letting in at the moment. It’s something we need to get out of our game. The good thing here is that the players take criticism on board and that’s because it’s delivered in the right manner. It’s personal and up close at times, but it’s given to them with honesty. 

“It isn’t just the goals either. I’m not happy with what led to the first goal, or with the way we let both of their goals in so easily. I told Michael [Raynes] I’ve played in excess of 700 games and I never slipped over once. We have a good relationship so I was able to tell him he looked like Bambi on Ice. 

“The pleasing thing is he wasn’t happy with what happened either. With him being who he is – what a great way to respond. The best answer he could give me was with his two goals and a much-improved defensive performance. 

“He needed those goals, let me tell you that. Don’t be surprised if he isn’t donating his man of the match award to somebody else either, because he didn’t have his best game today, and I’ve told him that. However, he scored twice and improved out of sight because he’s prepared to listen and get in where it hurts. 

“If you’re going to build success you need people who are prepared to make mistakes and then do something about it. He’s out of that mould.”

Speaking about the fight back he said: “I think you could look at last season and say the players wouldn’t have responded this way if they’d been in the same situation. That’s credit to the players we have here now. There’s strength of character and willingness to do the hard work, even when mistakes have been made.

“These lads aren’t looking for easy excuses any more. They’re accountable and they’re standing up to their mistakes with a belief that things will be put right. Having said that, I’m going through my full repertoire of half-time team talks at the moment. The changing room can take a rollocking and they understand why I demand more from them at times. 

“I demanded a victory during the break because I knew we had enough in that changing room to get it. Some harsh words were said because we allowed ourselves to get a slap on the backside by Yeovil with the way we expected to be allowed to do what we wanted.”

“I have to be brave in these situations as well,” he explained. “Bastien Hery is an example of that. I’m one of his biggest fans because of what I think he can do for us. However, I thought he was off his game today because it was one where we needed to win the battle first and foremost. 

“He wanted to play his football before we’d earned that right and it was causing us a problem. I get paid to make decisions, not turn away from them, so we made the switch. It wasn’t his day today but, on another day, it will be.”