Peterborough assistant manager will be ‘demanding’ players work to continue improved run

Since Byrne arrived with Grant McCann last month, the pair have overseen an upturn in performances, which has turned into an improved run of points being picked up.

Courtesy of the win at Queens Park Rangers, Posh have now picked up five points in their last four matches. They picked up just two points in their previous nine games before the pair charge.

Byrne has said that the whole group are determined to keep this run going and he will be demanding a lot from the players to make it happen. He said: “What we’ve seen from the boys over the last five of six weeks is a real drive and determination to buy into how we want to play and what we are demanding on the training ground.

“Hopefully they are enjoying it, recent results and performances suggest that they are and we’ve got to keep performing to get those results.

“We have to keep driving the improvement, we as a coaching staff have got to lead that but then we have to hand the baton over to the players. They have to drive it on the pitch because we can’t be there every second of the game.

“We are seeing really good returns over the last three of four games. The performances have been strong and when the performances are strong, invariably you pick points up and that’s a credit the boys for what they are doing on the pitch and what they are doing Monday to Friday.

“We have to keep pushing those limits, keep driving those demands as much as we can and the players need to reciprocate that. We’ve had a really strong week of training during the international break and we’re now looking to build on the performances that have gone before.

“The gaffer encourages me to get on with what I’m good at and if I need a little guidance or little corrections along the way I’ll go to him. The biggest thing he always asks for me and I always try to deliver is open honesty.

“I’m quite demanding, I expect good standards and try to drive them on and off the pitch but more importantly we want to improve people and help them get to the levels they believe they can play at.”

The coaching staff has also been freshened up by the arrival of Dale Tonge and the promotion of Academy Lead Phase Coach Ryan Semple to assist the team on matchdays.

Byrne has welcomed the move and insists that the fact neither had previously worked in Tonge proved pivotal in his selection to join the team.

He added: “My time here so far has been really exciting, hectic, busy, all that rolled into one but it’s been really enjoyable getting to know all of the staff and players and fostering those relationships from day one.

“You have to build the relationships off the pitch as much as you do on. You’re familiar with them from playing against them and scouting them but it’s nice to get to know them personally and we have some really good lads, a really good mix and there’s some characters in there.

“Dale has added a fresh dynamic to the group. Myself and the gaffer haven’t worked with him before, which the gaffer felt was important to give us a different lens and fresh ideas. I’ve experienced being with Dale when we did the pro licence together and we’ve come up against him many times when he was at Barnsley. He has a lot of good that we notice from a far and he’s certainly delivered on them in the few weeks he’s been in the building.”