Defender says he has learned under Head Coach David Wagner
- Martin Cranie reviews defeat to Cardiff City
- Defender says HTAFC's players gave away goals too easily
- Cranie says he's learning under David Wagner
Martin Cranie says Town’s players have to stick to their principles as opponents try and stifle the style that Head Coach David Wagner has brought to the Club.
On Saturday, Cardiff City left the John Smith’s Stadium with all three points after successfully combating Town’s ‘full throttle’ football – and Cranie told htafc.com that the Terriers only had themselves to blame.
“I think we shot ourselves in the foot on Saturday. We could have got around them more and, similarly to the game at Brighton, we gave away the goals a bit too easily and lost the game.
“The Head Coach always seems to take the positives if we get beaten in a game and there were one or two good parts. That has given us something to work on this week, which started at 9 o’clock on Sunday.
“Teams are obviously doing their homework on us and have seen that we like to play out from the back now. They are setting themselves out high up the pitch and looking for a mistake, but even if an opponent is pushing high, we will still look to play as that is how we want to do it. You just have to pick your times.
“Cardiff did that well, but we were still in the game after the first half. At the start of the second half we got the ball down and started knocking it around a bit better, but the second goal killed the momentum we had at the time. Going 2-1 down was a bit of a blow and after the third, it was hard work to try and get back in it.”
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Even though he has well over 300 professional games under his belt, the 29 year-old explained that he has learned new skills during Wagner’s relatively short tenure as Head Coach:
“The Head Coach has loads of different things he wants each player in each position to do; it’s a lot different to other managers I have played under. However, he’s been here long enough now for the lads to know what’s required, wherever you are playing.
“Even though centre back is a position I am used to, I’ve had to learn a new side to the game. It’s a bit different.
“On the fitness side, I feel better than I ever have. The training is a lot more intense than it was.”
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