Exeter City
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Exeter City FOOTBALL CLUB
Exeter City FC has enjoyed a positive campaign this time around and enters the play-offs confident of claiming promotion . Football Focus Magazine recently caught up with Manager Paul Tisdale to find out more .
FF : How ’ s the general mood down at the club at the moment ?
PT : The general mood at the club is good but , when it comes to the players and staff , it has been all season . This is as good a group of players that I have had in my ten years or so at the club in terms of team spirit and doing things the right way .
Even when we were struggling to get results at the start of the campaign they were fully behind their teammates and what we were trying to achieve . The players are also very focused . They understand that there is a long way to go and a lot more work to be done .
FF : How would you say the season has gone for the club so far ?
PT : The early part of the campaign was disrupted by injuries to key players , many in the central defensive area , and one or two decisions not going our way in key moments during games . At one stage we had six central defenders out injured and for the first four months of the season I was constantly having to change players at the back .
However , as we have started to get players back , we have gradually managed to get consistency in terms of team selection . Every player knows their role in the team and added to that we have players who are coming off the bench and making a difference . Then those that are on the fringes of the first team are pushing the players in the side to maintain their form .
FF : How important is youth football to the club ?
PT : Youth football is an integral part of Exeter City . We have not got a billionaire owner and our business model relies on developing our young players , giving them a chance in the first team – sometimes to the detriment of results – so that we can benefit from the windfall of player sales to help keep the club going forward in the right direction .
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