Peterborough United manager challenges his players to be competitive in every game as Posh eye unlikely relegation escape

Peterborough United boss Grant McCann has challenged his side to be competitive in every game remaining this season in order to pull off an unlikely escape from relegation.
Posh manager Grant McCann. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.Posh manager Grant McCann. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.
Posh manager Grant McCann. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

McCann will take charge of his fourth match in charge against Stoke on Saturday (March 12) fresh from taking his first point since being reappointed against Bournemouth in the week (March 8).

Given the strength of that performance, there hes been renewed optimism surrounding the club this week but McCann is determined that Posh need to take it one game at a time.

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Posh sit at the foot of the table, seven points from safety, and McCann has simply challenged his side to be competitive in all 11 of the remaining matches.

He said: “We are very much focused on the job in hand. There are 11 games left and we want to try and be competitive in every single one of them. If we do that, we will give ourselves the best opportunity.

“It will be another tough game tomorrow against a tough Stoke team with quality all through their squad, both on their bench and not on their bench.

“I know they haven’t picked up the results they wanted in the past few weeks but they are still very strong all throughout their squad and we have to be at our best to compete with them.

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“Every game in this division is really tough. You have to be organised, you have to be good in your spell and have to score in your spell, like we did at Bournemouth, and this game will be no different.

“Form is irrelevant in this division, anyone can beat anyone on any given day. If you are on your game, you will have a chance.

“We want to take three points at home. There are players in good form throughout the squad and players playing in their best moment and we want to try and keep it at that.”

Loan players Reece Brown, Hayden Coulson and Callum Morton did not make the squad at Bournemouth, while Bali Mumba was an unused substitute and has featured sparingly over the last few weeks.

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McCann has denied that the door is closed to those players though and insisted they will be picked if they are deemed the best option for a game.

Morton’s place in the squad was taken by 19-year-old Joe Taylor, who came on to make his senior debut.

McCann added: “The loan players are still in contention, what was important for us on Tuesday was picking the right team and shape to play against Bournemouth, it was nothing to do with the fact they were on loan. We will pick the team with that same mindset on Saturday

“I’ve only seen him (Joe Taylor) over the last couple of weeks and I saw him when Peterborough’s Under 23s came to Hull about two months ago and I was impressed with him and young Kai Corbett. He’s a lovely kid, really wants to do well and he’s a really hard worker.

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“He deserved his opportunity because he’s been scoring goals for the under 23s. Cliff and I like to give opportunities to people doing well.

“He came off the bench and did well. He’s still young, raw and naïve in certain things but we like to nurture talent like that and get the best out of it.”