David Artell says Grimsby Town must build on their recent performances and return to winning ways at Blundell Park as the Mariners prepare to welcome York City in Sky Bet League Two on Saturday.
Town head into the fixture having collected four points from their last two away games, following a deserved victory at Gillingham and an impressive performance in last Tuesday’s 2-2 draw at Rochdale.
The head coach was pleased with the way his squad responded to a difficult period, particularly with injuries leaving him short of options, and believes the performances have demonstrated the character within the group. Artell also discussed the development of young striker Iwan Morgan, the benefits of sending young professionals out on loan to gain experience in men’s football, and provided an update on Joe Foulkes.
The Town boss also assessed Saturday’s opponents, highlighting York’s quality, financial backing and momentum following promotion from the National League last season. With a large crowd expected at Blundell Park for an early kick-off, Artell is determined to see his side reward the Mariners’ supporters with another strong performance and three points.
Here’s everything the head coach had to say ahead of Saturday’s fixture…
On the response to recent results
Artell believes the Mariners have shown the right character in difficult circumstances, with the squad responding positively to a challenging run of results and a growing injury list. Having felt Town deserved more from their performance against Northampton Town, the head coach was pleased to see that level of performance rewarded with victories at Rochdale and Gillingham.
He also stressed the importance of maintaining those standards and continuing to improve as the season progresses.
“I thought we had a good week last week. I thought the performance in general was okay against Northampton and we should have got something from the game.
“In really trying circumstances, sometimes in the face of adversity, you pull together. You have to. We go to Rochdale and haven’t got another fit player to put on the bench, and that’s what we’re down to.
“You can either roll your sleeves up and do what you need to do, or you can moan and complain, mope about and feel sorry for yourselves. The group of lads don’t do that. Simple as that.
“We followed up a good performance at Rochdale, where we deserved to win, with a very good one at Gillingham. We’ve had a good four days, and it doesn’t surprise me because we didn’t deserve to be on the end of some of the results before that.
“We’ve got to make sure our performance levels stay the same and we continue to improve. If we do that, we’ll give anyone a game.”
On Alex Graham’s loan extension
Young defender Alex Graham has had his loan spell at Grimsby Borough extended, with Artell pleased with the experience the first-year professional is gaining through regular men’s football.
The head coach revealed that he had watched Graham in action recently and believes the opportunity to play senior football is an important part of the development process for the Club’s younger players. He also thanked the local clubs who have helped provide opportunities for Town’s emerging talent.
“He’s doing great. I went to watch him a week last Friday at Beverley when I think he was playing for them.
“It’s really good experience for both of them. I know Elliot’s now got injured, but it’s really beneficial playing men’s football as a first-year pro. It doesn’t half bring you on.
“It gives you a real taste of what it’s about. I asked one of the other young players, ‘What have you learned in the last couple of weeks?’ and he said how important it is to win. You don’t always get that in your formative years, and it is important.
“I’m grateful for all the local clubs taking them and playing them. They’re good enough to do that, so it’s really beneficial. It gives them the best chance of forging a career by playing games and having good coaching. It’s a really good blend.”
On Joe Foulkes’ fitness
Artell also provided a brief update on Joe Foulkes after the defender appeared to experience some discomfort towards the end of Tuesday’s victory at Gillingham.
The head coach was quick to reassure supporters that there are no concerns over his fitness.
“He’s fine.”
On Iwan Morgan’s development
Morgan has made an encouraging impression since joining the Mariners, with Artell pleased with the young forward’s contribution and potential. The head coach acknowledged that there is still plenty for the striker to learn but believes he has all the attributes to develop into a very good footballer.
Artell also highlighted the number of promising young players currently within the squad, suggesting the Club has several individuals capable of progressing to higher levels of the game.
“He’s doing great. He’s got lots to learn, but then three years ago Harvey Rodgers had a lot to learn, and Kieran Green had a lot to learn. Those two have still got plenty to learn. By me saying Iwan’s got a lot to learn, I don’t want people to think he’s rubbish, which he’s not. He’s got a really good chance of being a really good footballer.
“They’ve got to knuckle down, work hard, take on board what we’re asking of them and keep engaged to learn. I’ve got absolutely no issues with him. He’s got a couple of goals and he’s set up a couple of goals, and he’s doing fine. More than fine. We wouldn’t have brought him to the football club if he wasn’t a good player.
“If you look at the squad now, I think we’ve got plenty of assets. Plenty of lads who have got an unbelievable opportunity to have a really good career. We had one this time last year who’s gone on to League One. We’ve got more than a handful of others, and I think he’ll play higher as well.”
On Saturday’s opponents, York City
York have enjoyed an encouraging start to life back in the Football League following their promotion from the National League last season, and Artell expects another demanding test at Blundell Park. The head coach believes their performances have been consistent with the quality within their squad, highlighting their financial backing and the momentum carried over from last season.
However, he was keen to stress that Town also possess plenty of quality and believes Saturday’s contest has the potential to be an excellent game.
“It’s definitely going to be a tough game. They’ve got some really good players. Lots of good players.
“It doesn’t surprise me at all to see York and Rochdale doing well. The teams at the top of the National League are stronger than the teams at the bottom of League Two. That’s the bottom line. York is certainly a team where we all know they pay a lot of money and they’ve got a big budget. That doesn’t automatically mean they’re going to be near the top or do well.
“We only have to look at Carlisle a couple of years ago. They had the second-biggest budget and got relegated. But they’ve got some really good players, and off the back of a promotion season they’re going to have momentum with them.
“When we’ve watched them, and when I watched them on Tuesday night, they’re a good team. There’s no doubt about it. I also think we’re a good team, and it should be a really good game.”
On the importance of Saturday’s occasion
With a large crowd expected at Blundell Park and York set to bring strong travelling support, Artell is looking forward to the atmosphere but insists his players must focus on delivering a result. The head coach admitted that Town’s recent home defeat against Shrewsbury still disappoints him, believing the team fell below the standards expected in front of their own supporters.
He wants to see the Mariners return to winning ways at home and believes the backing from the stands can play an important part in helping the players achieve that.
“The issue with the Shrewsbury game still rankles with me because we let ourselves down in front of our own fans, and we haven’t done that for a long time. Northampton was different. We deserved something from the game, 100%, even with 10 men. But we let ourselves down and we didn’t win.
“We’ve got to get back to winning ways. Simple as that. We haven’t lost at home for a while before those games, and we’ve got to get back to winning ways in front of our fans because they deserve it.
“They’ll back us to help. It’s going to be a cracking atmosphere, I’m sure. They’ll fill the away end, won’t they? We’ve got to make sure they stay quiet and all the Mariners are singing their hearts out because that’s what football’s all about.”
You can watch David’s full pre-match press conference here:
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