‘A Good Opportunity’ – Cooper On Saints Challenge
Cooper, speaking in his first pre-match press conference since the international window, outlined the plans put in place ahead of his side’s meeting with Southampton on Saturday, a 3pm BST kick-off at St. Mary’s Stadium.
‘Build on Bournemouth’
The Foxes’ first victory of the campaign, secured at home to AFC Bournemouth last time out, can be the springboard to further successes, according to the Manager, who has seen good signs from the squad in recent weeks.
“It’s great to get everybody back together,” Cooper commented. “It’s always better going into an international break after a win and everything can seem a little bit more optimistic. We know the work we’re doing and what we’re seeing every day.
“The recognition of the work that we had to put in with and without the ball against Bournemouth, we have to build on that. The players and staff have not been narrow-minded enough to not think that we’ve done some good things in every game this season and also have some things to improve on.
“We put all that together on matchdays and we get the results that we want. It’s about coming together now and really attacking the game at the weekend, thinking about what’s in it for us, not anybody else and we’re really positive. We’re putting layers on heading to where we want to be.
“We’ve seen some really good signs in what we’re trying to do and what we’re trying to become, there’s a lot of belief in that. Training days and game days are your constant opportunities to stride towards what we will be. We’re all really confident that will happen.
“It’s a real positive thing that we can make decisions all over the pitch in terms of what we think might be needed across the pitch. The context to this week is that when you’re leading into a game off the international break, it’s about when players are returning and it can add to team and squad selection.
“To be the team we’re becoming and heading towards, you need a strong squad and players pushing for positions. Although we’re really clear about how we want to play and what’s required from each position, at times you need different profiles, not just in midfield. We feel we have that in every area of the pitch. That’s where you want to be as a manager.”
‘Really motivated’
The trip to the South Coast means facing a team without a league victory of their own so far this term, with Russell Martin’s side picking up just the one point, but the Welshman is much more concerned with his own team’s aims and objectives, seeing it as an ideal opportunity for further growth and development as a group.
“We’ve got such a good opportunity this weekend to continue our progress and build momentum,” the 44-year-old explained. “We’re really motivated now to go to Southampton and try and pick up where we left off. None of these Premier League games are straightforward, we’ve seen that in the ones we’ve played.
“Whatever game it is, with the position we’re in now, we’re just really optimistic about having some positive days in the way we go about our work and allowing us to progress in the way we want.
“It’s a game that we’ll be ready for and respect 100 per cent. I’ll always respect all of our opponents and expect them to be at their best. But we’ve got to make sure we’re at our best and believe that can have the biggest impact in the game.
“Every team has a style of play in the Premier League and consistency in certain things that they do, as a coach and players and a team. That’s how you can end up succeeding. Whoever it is, it’s a chance to get back-to-back wins and create more positivity.
“Momentum is definitely the objective at the moment. We’re excited to create that and it’s something we’re in control of. We’ve really got to believe that we can make that happen.
“Every game is an opportunity and can be a danger. We’re more focused on what we can do and what we can achieve from the game. We want to continue with our belief and confidence and grow because that’s what allows you to improve everything and get those performances and results that you want.”
‘Excited about the journey ahead’
Cooper is keen for his players to embrace the pressure that comes with these fixtures and not let it affect them in an adverse way, confident that all the work done leading up to matchdays will begin to pay dividends on the pitch.
“There’s always pressure on every team, whatever you’re playing for in this league,” he admitted. “There’s not a moment you can step away from that. Pressure doesn’t mean negativity, it’s exciting. It means you’re striving for something and want to achieve something.
“We’re really motivated to do the things that I’m talking about, to create good days, keep striving to become the team that we’re going to be and the identity we want to show. When we get it right, fans are going to be really connected to it and it’s what we want to show them. We really believe in where we want to go. We’re in control of that.
“We see everything that is going on behind the scenes. Everyone else just sees the matchday and results will paint certain pictures, but we know the direction we’re travelling in and where we’re heading. It’s a rocky road sometimes but we’re excited about the journey ahead. We’re taking it game by game and day by day.
“We’ve definitely agreed goals with the team on what we want to achieve this year. That’s a multitude of things – points and positions, but it’s a number of other objectives. We understand there are periods in the season where we have a bit of a spell to the Christmas period.
“There’s always blocks throughout the season and we have some goals but we also know, to achieve any goal, it’s focusing on what we’re in control of and that’s our commitment to our daily work, whether that’s how we behave, the attitude, the standards that we set. We’re very aligned in that and it’s about living and breathing it every single day.”