Elgin City manager Allan Hale says he shares Borough Briggs fans’ frustration with losing run but says his players can handle pressure of higher expectations at club
Elgin City fan frustration at their team’s current four-game losing run is an indication of how far the club has progressed in the last year, says their manager.
“We'd rather have the expectation that we'll win every game than the expectation that was at the club when we came in the door, where no one expected the club to win a game,” said manager Allan Hale.
City were undefeated in their opening 11 matches in League 2 and topped the table after a strong start to the campaign, bucking the trend of recent seasons.
They’ve now hit a sticky patch, with last Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Peterhead being their four consecutive loss, taking them out of the top three for the first time this term.
Hale believes supporters should assess their club’s performance this season as a whole, and where they are compared to 12 months ago.
“The target (this season) was always to make sure that we maintain our status as a League 2 club,” he said. “I think that had to be based on the last three years, and the only focus really to look towards,” Hale explained.
“The start of the season that we've had and the consistency that the players have shown this season, shows how well they have done.
“What that does is it raises expectations, it generates excitement around the football club, and we never ever want to take that away from supporters.
“That's what we're in football to do, to inspire people and get them excited. We've done that this season, so we share the frustration more within the last few weeks because we're the people that are making the sacrifices in terms of the time that we spend away from your family.
“I'm a big believer in that these things are made to test your character, your mindset and your motivation. That's what football does, and things can change so quickly.
“We don't contextualise things in terms of what the last four results means. You can't look at football that way, and it seems to be the only sport that people do that.
“We understand the frustration, we feel that ourselves as a group, that we don't think we've performed to our levels, and there's a real desire and a hunger within the group to make sure that we put that right.
“We do that by sticking together, getting the head down, working hard and focusing on the next game and trying to put the last game right and the next one, and that's all we can do.”
While a return to winning ways is a priority for Hale and his squad, and they have three home opportunities to do that in the space of seven days, he refuses to get ahead of himself.
Bottom side Forfar Athletic, led by former Elgin bosses Jim Weir and Gavin Price and buoyed by a midweek win at on-form Stranraer, are the first of three clubs booked in for a Borough Briggs visit.
Spartans arrive next Tuesday and Clyde complete Elgin’s home treble the following weekend, with Hale looking no further ahead than the Forfar test.
“Every game is just the next game in a line of 36 out of a league season and that's just how we need to approach games,” he said.
“It's important not to label any game as anything specific, it's just the next game and we'll have to put all our focus into that game without looking too far ahead.
“We have to do it without looking too negatively at things, certainly based on the run we’re on, and prepare the team the way that we have since the day that we came in the door and the players to train the way they have since the day we came in the door.
“That's how we're looking at things and that's how we're approaching things and that won't change.”
The manager remembers the battle he faced a year ago in steering Elgin away from a basement battle and possible relegation back to the Highland League.
“We've flipped that around completely whereas at least now there's the expectation that we win games.
“I always say to the players that's a good pressure, but in the same context it's always difficult, especially in the short period of time.
“When you look back at what's been achieved so far this season, I would certainly label this season as a success.
“We've had a club record unbeaten run, we've gone to the fourth round in the Scottish Cup, and we've been in the play-off position the whole season.
“We've equalled the points tally (from last season) with 15 games to go, and we've got the youngest team in League 2 - I think actually one of the youngest teams in Scotland in terms of average age.
“When you put everything into context and perspective, the fact that it's a new club in terms of the board, management, players, and the fact that the players have had that turnaround, they deserve an enormous amount of credit.”
Hale was delighted to welcome back centre half Jack Murray to his starting line-up at Peterhead - the defender had missed the last nine games.
With Jake Dolzanski also returning from a long-term injury to the heart of the defence, there’s a more established look to City’s rearguard.
But there are still absences to contend with. The two most experienced players in the squad, Brian Cameron and Ross Draper picked up recent injuries and Hale doesn’t expect either player to be fit in time to feature in the three game home run of matches.
Striker Dylan Gavin, crocked in the Scottish Cup clash with Aberdeen, is back doing light training and could yet feature in Elgin’s fixtures towards the end of the campaign.
