Red Devils on the horizon...but Dragons are up first for County
NEWPORT County will attempt the impossible – to put next week’s FA Cup clash with Manchester United out of their mind – as they focus on tackling Welsh rivals Wrexham in front of a sold-out Rodney Parade today.
County manager Graham Coughlan has warned his players that they cannot afford to have even “half an eye” on the United tie if they want to gain revenge for last month’s 2-0 defeat at the Racecourse.
And the Exiles boss says anyone who is distracted risks losing their place for the visit of Erik Ten Hag’s Premier League giants on January 28.
“We’ve all been players, we all know the script,” said Coughlan.
“If you don’t play well against
Wrexham, you don’t give yourself a great opportunity of playing next week.
“With all due respect to tomorrow’s opponents, it’s all about us, it’s about what we do about how we prepare, how we go about our business and performance levels.
“If you don’t perform [against Wrexham] and don’t go about your business well, then you give yourself a little bit of a headache all next week going into the next game.
“As a player you want to perform well in every game, do your best and you want to win every match you take part in.
“Footballers should have that mindset and mentality of wanting to win, even in training.
“I was built like that. I had to win in training because if I was winning Monday to Friday in training, I felt in the right place to compete on Saturday.
“Our lads will compete and will be giving their all and they won’t have half an eye on anything other than Wrexham, rest assured.”
Coughlan acknowledges that it is hard to ignore the buzz around the club, however, with season-ticket holders queuing for FA Cup tickets at Rodney Parade for that last two days and a general sale to come on Moday.
“I cannot believe it, there have been fans outside since four o’clock in the morning,” said the Irishman, a boyhood United fan. “They are out there with their teas and coffees, well wrapped up. Joe [Dunne, Coughlan’s assistant] came over to Rodney Parade yesterday, he just could not get in the gate, it was just chaos, it was brilliant, it was great to see.
“And the good thing is even though they were up at four o’clock in the morning, they are not moaning and complaining. They are smiling, they are happy and there is a buzz about them. It’s great to see and long overdue at this football club.”
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson is unsure whether it’s a good time or a bad time to face the Exiles.
“It’s great for them to get through, obviously an exciting tie,” said Parkinson.
“But who knows if it’s a positive or negative with regards to our game. When I was manager of Colchester, we drew Chelsea and the build up to it was great.
“But it was after the game when the results dipped. Everyone was on a high playing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge; it took us a while to get everyone going again.”
The one thing both sides can agree on is that there will be a raucous atmosphere for the game with the capacity boosted to 9,000 thanks to a temporary stand installed for the United game.
“We’re looking forward to that,” said Parkinson, whose side are second in League Two having won six of their last seven games.