Mark Robins spells out big Stoke City hope after massive first win
Mark Robins hopes that his first league win as Stoke City manager will give his young squad the confidence to ‘let the handbrake off’ and show what they can do.
Stoke came from behind to win 2-1 at Hull thanks to goals from debutant Ali Al-Hamadi and substitute Andrew Moran. It’s a result that puts Stoke in 18th, three points ahead of Hull and five points clear of the drop zone with 16 matches left to play,
Robins said: "A great result in the end. We didn't get started in the way I wanted us to. I think really where we are at, at the moment, we are in a situation when we haven't won games so there's a bit of a lack of confidence or belief or a mixture of both. We didn't get going in the game until after they scored, which is too late, obviously.
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"I think with a bit of belief - and that result gives us a bit of belief - it means they can go out and play like they can and show what they can do. We've just got to learn to take the handbrake off, free themselves up and play in a way I know they can do - because I've seen it. It's not just me guessing things, they can do it. I've seen it in training and I've seen it in parts of games.
"But it took us too long to get going, a goal down. They have changed hugely in terms of the numbers they've got and their availability and we're still in a bit of a position where we're trying to make do and mend and get people into positions where I think they can make a big difference on the pitch. At times they did, at times it took a bit of time to get going but that's where we are.
“I'm delighted with the three points and that should give them a bit of a boost and that belief - but, again, let the handbrake off.”
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