Next three games will shape our season says Baraclough
MANAGER Ian Baraclough believes Scunthorpe United's next three games will shape their Championship destiny.
The Iron host Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, Derby County next Saturday and then Sheffield United the following Tuesday in a run of matches the 40-year-old sees as pivotal to their hopes of somehow climbing out of the bottom three.
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SINK OR SWIM: Scunthorpe United boss Ian Baraclough.
The weekend's cruel 1-0 defeat at Cardiff City – a game which was only settled five minutes from time courtesy of a powerful header from Nigerian midfielder Seyi Olofinjana – leaves United seven points adrift of safety with 18 games remaining.
Although teams battling the drop may not need to reach the usual 50-point mark for survival this season, it would be foolish to aim for much less.
And given that they would need to win eight of their remaining matches – one more than they have managed in their 28 games so far – to make it to 48 points, that is a tough, tough ask.
"We've got three games coming up at home now which will shape our season," said Baraclough on the back of defeat in South Wales.
"Forest are going to come here full of confidence. That'll be tough, but then we've got Derby and Sheffield United who aren't in the best of form either.
"We've got to be taking points from that spell."
Given their much-maligned home form, it is sink or swim time when it comes to building on just one victory all season at Glanford Park.
Baraclough admits though, he is still scratching his head as to why his side have managed just three points from the last 33 in front of their own fans.
"There's a stigma there and we've got to throw the shackles off," he continued.
"We don't tell the players to play any differently, they've all got attributes and they can all pass a ball because they do it in training every day. We encourage them to do that at home.
"We can go to a place like Cardiff and perform and six victories tells you there is a belief when we go away from home.
"Why can't we take that into home games? I've been asking the players that.
"There were 20,000 fans at the game and we performed in front of them, there's a certain pressure that comes with that.
"With that in mind, should there be pressure from playing in front of 6,000? Not for me."
Baraclough described the manner of the Iron's defeat at Cardiff, on the back of a much-improved defensive display, as 'a bitter pill to swallow'.
But he insists it has given him renewed belief that the eight new arrivals he recruited during the January transfer window will take the club forward.
"When you see the commitment the chaps showed, that gives me confidence we can get out of it," Baraclough added.
21 Comments
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by 1500club, Lincs
Tuesday, February 15 2011, 1:51PM
“Moggie - is this forum simply a soapbox for you to babble about how much of a better supporter you are...?
Try reading the threads you DEMONISE, you SPOON FACED SIMPLETON.
'Three wins from the next three - you may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one - a win will come at some point, probably against the run of play and when it does the team will be one foot taller and a yard faster - it WILL come eventually.
Up the Iron!
1500club, Lincs'”
by Julie, Crowle
Tuesday, February 15 2011, 8:24AM
“So because we're small, does that mean that there is no ambition and we should settle for second best ? And it's not about buying players, why not try keeping the good ones that we have?”
by Die hard supporter, Scunthorpe
Monday, February 14 2011, 9:46PM
“Is it just me, or can no-one remember those cold tuesday night matches at The Old Show Ground when we struggled to get a crowd of 2000 and were at the bottom end of the old Division 4?
Don't get me wrong, I would love them to stay up, but so what if we go down...it is not the end of the world. It is widely reported that we are "batting above our station" and it is true. With crowds around 4000/5000, how on earth are we expected to spend mega bucks to get the big players? I for one would prefer the club to stay out of debt. And why is everyone pulling down the board? If it wasn't for Mr Wharton, who else would even be prepared to run the club? Everyone says they know "someone", but where are they at the AGM? Why haven't they approached the Board with a possible takeover bit?
Lets face it, we are a small club, but a good club, with honest supporters (not those who boo the players on the pitch - ever heard of positivity? How would you like it if you were booed all day at work? Would you really want to go back the next day? They are doing their best). I regularly read comments on this site, and I am fed up with all the negative stuff. Appreciate Scunthorpe United for what they are.
Finally, it was sad to hear of the death of Steve Wingate, a life long supporter of Scunthorpe United who travelled far and wide to support them. Yes, I suppose he did have the odd moan about them, but it didn't stop him supporting his home town team to the end.”
by CARL LEWIS, DERBY
Monday, February 14 2011, 8:32PM
“No moggie self proclaimed chief happy clapper of SUFC,shame on our board/chairman for having zero ambition to keep us in this league and give us a ground to be proud of.As a supporter i will be making the journey on saturday and the following tuesday against Sheff Utd,we need at least 7 points from the next 3 games ,lets hope we have one or two of our sicknote players back,we need battlers and no bottlers who are up for these games."UP THE IRON"!!!”
by Dan, Scunny
Monday, February 14 2011, 8:18PM
“More and more I think about it the more i'm coming around to nicking a one nil. How long did forest play against ten men on Sunday? Better performances recently by us creating more chances (something that people pointed out when it didn't happen but no "much better" when it did improve). Lower attendance further decreasing the pressure on the team (as the boo boys stay at hope in the hope of Scouting Messi et al for our future transfer targets). Wraby Codhead drowning in the Humber as he obviously has bought a cheap Sat Nav (didn't know you had to come across the Humber to get from Wrawby! Educated in Hull perhaps)
As for all those negative fans that want to come to the game to boo the team etc DURING the game may I suggest a meet up in the Iron Bar at approx 7:50pm where misery can keep its company.”
by Oscar O'Moggie, BTFC clubhouse
Monday, February 14 2011, 7:47PM
“Just want to say thanks to Derby Telegraph reader & jk super reds. They appear to be the only two on here who want Scunny to win.
Shame on you 'Scunthorpe fans'”
by Proper Footy Fan, Scunny
Monday, February 14 2011, 6:35PM
“A reputed spend of £11million if we stay in the Championship to put the stand to all seats, or relegation? No brainer really isn't it??? Well.....Mr Wharton...........??”
by 1500club, Lincs
Monday, February 14 2011, 6:05PM
“FAO all Iron supporters...
Have a look at my views on this...
http://www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk/news/Sports-village-right-track/article-3218227-detail/article.html
....utter disgrace that United play no part in this - further compounded by the tardy manner in which we hawked the club in 2004, as reason to situate it at GP (well actually acros the road)....as long as the likes of Baraclough and the team are the ones under the pressure, no one really notices the true reason as to why we are a tin pot outfit....300k for a field indeed.
SHAME ON YOU IRON - NO CASH TO FUND A BROWNSWORD MEMORIAL (or even the bottle to get Sainsburies to include one in their own 10 million re-vamp) and yet the board is buying a field from the same bloke who was using the Irons name, in order to lease an otherwise empty field.
Up the Iron? Hmmm....”
by Wrawby Cod, Wading across the Humber.
Monday, February 14 2011, 5:53PM
“Next three games ! So the previous games don't count then, shut up all you scunny hero's and take whats coming relegation and then more misery as you slide down the leagues it will be great. 1500 club and Oscar will be nice and warm in the BTFC club house.”
by scoop, ashby
Monday, February 14 2011, 5:52PM
“DONT EXPECT 3 POINTS ON SATURDAY, you can already read the script, clough gets the sack, the caretaker manager picks the squad, and the team play out of their skins, how many times has this happened?”