Bury manager David Flitcroft has expressed the need for sweeping changes to aid his relegation-threatened side ahead of Saturday’s fixture against fellow league strugglers Accrington Stanley.
The ex-Barnsley boss faces a tough battle against Accrington, but he insisted the players will be prepared thanks to changes with the weekly training programme.
Accrington have picked up nine points in the last six games and will enjoy the home advantage against Bury as they welcome them to the Crowne Ground.
“We are trying to teach everyone at the club that we are trying to do things differently,” the 40-year old told the Bury FC YouTube channel.
“We now train Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday which is more of a foreign way of looking at things as we are trying to get two really high intense days on the Tuesday and Wednesday and taper down Thursday, Friday.
“Some people don’t like change but I embrace change, I enjoy change, I get excited by change and there should be a lot of energy in the lads legs come Saturday which is the key day of the week.”
Bury have taken nine points from seven matches under Flitcroft, and last week’s gutsy 0-0 draw against high flying Burton Albion gave them a crucial point leaving them in 19th place in League Two on 28 points.
Burton Albion have had a mixed start to January with a 3-1 defeat to Fleetwood town, a 3-3 draw to Newport County, a 2-1 win against Cheltenham Town.
However this week the relegation strugglers were left reeling after receiving a £20,000 fine for employing manager James Beattie without the requisite coaching qualifications.
The two sides last met in August 2013, where it ended in a comfortable 3-0 victory for the Shakers with goals from Anton Forrester, Jordan Sinnott and Marlon Jackson.
Flitcroft, who took over from previous caretaker manager Ronnie Jepson, believes Bury are now capable of applying real pressure on teams who are positioned 10th in the league and below.
“It is so tight – from 10 down – that we know we need to win games to start putting pressure on other teams who probably, three or four weeks ago, thought they had a cushion,” he said.
“It’s about trying to take the safety blanket off them to put them under a little bit of pressure.
“You put these teams under pressure and strange things happen – pressure does crazy things.”
Flitcroft has been busy reshaping his squad throughout January and released five players – Gareth Roberts, Shaun Harrad, Marlon Jackoson, Euan Holden and Jessy Reindorf – last week.
Whilst defenders Pablo Mills, Robbie McIntyre, James Burke and Frederic Veseli, have all arrived since the turn of the year and most recently former Barnsley defender Jim McNulty on a free transfer.
And Flitcroft now hopes to boost his first-team further with the signing of a left-sided wing-back.
“We looked at one yesterday,” he said.
“We took all the management team across and we thought we had got near but it fell at the last hurdle.
“But the search continues and we will keep tracking players.”
Bury have no injury worries ahead of their trip to Accrington and will aim to do the double over Beattie’s side.
Image courtesy of Beanyssports via YouTube, with thanks.
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