Sam Ricketts excited by attacking mindset
Wales defender Sam Ricketts has revealed that he is delighted with the attacking mindset that caretaker national team coach Brian Flynn is employing for the side’s UEFA 2012 European Football Championship qualifying matches.
Flynn has made the temporary step-up from the Wales youth set-up to take charge of the senior side for matches against Bulgaria in Cardiff on Friday, October 8, and Switzerland in Basel on Tuesday.
He has been credited with nurturing several talented players into the full international squad, including Tottenham Hotspur’s Gareth Bale, and is now taking full advantage of his history with the players to encourage them to attack in the upcoming matches.
Left-back Ricketts, of Bolton Wanderers, is excited about the change to the coaching mentality.
“(Flynn) wants to be attacking, he wants goals . . . it's only been two days and the training is a lot different. He is doing everything he can to prove that he's the man for the job (on a permanent basis) and everyone is hoping that's the case. The lads
are upbeat, the training is short and sharp, we're trying to get the tempo up to take that into the game Friday night and produce performances.”
The 28-year-old is also of the opinion that Wales should be playing to the traditional strengths of British football, with a fast-pace and relentless attacking, to try and overwhelm their opponents.
“The way we play in the Premier League, the Championship — it's full in-your-face. I don't think the foreign sides could live with it. The British sides in Europe have done that so well because [other] teams can't live with it and that's what we should do.
We're a young, fit, energetic side and we should use that to our ability and . . . go toe-to-toe with (Bulgaria).”
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