Column by Forest Green Rovers manager Dave Hockaday (From Gazette Series)

Column by Forest Green Rovers manager Dave Hockaday

3:20pm Monday 8th February 2010 in

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IT HAS been a tough week all round.

We talked as a squad about staying focused for the full 95 minutes of a game and covering the basics which all good players and teams do.

So the training involved tackling, heading, defending set plays and crosses, stopping crosses coming in, tracking runners etc. I asked the players to show discipline and to simply "do their jobs". We talked of keeping a good shape and which areas of the pitch to play in.

On Saturday we travelled to AFC Wimbledon and within 15 minutes were 2-0 down and reeling. We just did not start. Afterwards people were saying how we matched them for 75 minutes and how many good chances we created - it doesn’t matter. It is not good enough. It is easy to play freely when you are losing but it is more difficult to play well when the scores are level, and that’s what winners do.

There are no excuses. Winners take the game to the opposition and stay focused for the full duration. In our last two matches we have lost concentration as a team for two spells and been quite rightly punished. The order of the day is to stick together and concentrate on what we need to do before, during and after games.

We need to keep focused on the job in hand and work even harder to get back to winning ways, which we are more than capable of doing. We mustn’t panic. We have our points targets for each month which are very achievable.

Tuesday night sees us entertain Chester City in another of our ‘cup finals’ and we must play to our full potential and gain a valuable three points in our fight for survival. I have said all along that it will be a rollercoaster ride and that it will not be pretty, but that the team that keeps its nerve will produce the goods.

Friday was a very sad day and brought life totally back into perspective. I attended the funerals of both Paul Davis and Ryan Lee, two staunch FGR fans, who tragically died after the FA Cup game away to Notts County.

The dignity shown by both sets of family and friends was truly humbling. Through all the grief and anguish was also a celebration of both their lives and I was genuinely touched to be a part of their tears and also their laughter. It is a day I shall never forget and I thank all concerned for letting me be a part of their lives on such a tragic occasion. I salute you all.

Cherish your loved ones, take nothing for granted and keep the faith.