Dean Keates: Walsall classed as underdogs
Dean Keates has told his players to embrace their underdog status as Walsall prepare for back-to-back games against the top two teams in League One.
The Saddlers host second-placed Sunderland at the Banks’s Stadium on Saturday before then travelling to take on league leaders Portsmouth on Tuesday.
But while the bookies are predicting wins for the opposition in both those matches, Keates has challenged his players to upset the odds.
“We are classed as underdogs, we are the team that’s not expected to win,” the boss said. “But in these two games, there’s more for us to gain, for the players to gain, than there is to lose.
“We will go about our business the right way, we will prepare individually for each game, get ourselves set. All being well, with the hard work that we put in, we will get our rewards.”
Walsall picked up their fourth clean sheet of the season in the 0-0 draw at Fleetwood on Saturday.
And Keates was particularly pleased for keeper Liam Roberts – who made an uncharacteristic error in the FA Cup victory over Coventry the week before.
“The clean sheet was massive for us,” the boss continued.
“Other than a volley from Ross Wallace in the first few minutes of the second half, everything else was easy saves for Robbo – but he smothered that one really well.
“That’s his payback to the lads for Coventry.
“He’s a young man, it’s the first time he’s established as number one and, by his standards, the second goal for Coventry, he’s held his hands up and he should have saved it.
“As I said to him, over the course of the season he’s helped us out and that was his payback to the lads, it was an excellent save.”
Meanwhile, Keates admitted he was delighted to see skipper George Dobson put pen to paper on a 12-month contract extension last week.
“He is a big part of the club’s future going forward,” Keates the boss added.
“He’s somebody we can help develop and work with, not just as a player but as a person.
“He’s somebody I end up having a lot of chats with regarding the captaincy and being the leader in the changing room.
“It’s something I can help with, as can Russell Martin who has captained a team all the way to the Premier League.
“For George, it’s a well-deserved contract and for Walsall Football Club, it safeguards an asset for us.”
