Darrell Clarke is ready to be Walsall psychologist
Darrell Clarke is ready to play the role of psychologist to help get Walsall’s season back on track.
The Saddlers boss has vowed to get inside the mind of his players as he looks to improve upon a disappointing start to life in League Two.
Walsall headed to Colchester today searching for their first win since the opening day of the campaign.
Clarke, who has undertaken a major overhaul of the squad since being appointed in May, is determined his players remain upbeat despite some underwhelming results.
He said: “You have to be a bit of a psychologist.
“Mental strength is very important in these situations, lack of confidence can sometimes can come into the mindset and you have to beat that out of them and focus on the next game.
“We know we have to be a lot better, of course we do. But it is no good coming in and feeling sorry for yourselves or crying over spilt milk.
“At the end of the day we have to work harder to turn these performances into results. You make your own luck in this game.”
Clarke, who signed 16 new players during the summer transfer window, believes it will be some time before his squad can be fairly assessed.
The 41-year-old is planning to draw on the experience gained through a management career which included four years in charge at Bristol Rovers.
“There is probably no one more experienced than me in what I have been through,” he said.
“I have managed more than 400 games and have been there, seen it and got the T-shirt.
“It is about going into that knowledge I have got and my staff have got, making sure they keep the positivity around the place. With the results, people lose faith. The only way to change that is the results.”
Clarke continued: “Everyone will have their way of assessing players. Supporters can do it in 30 minutes because that is the game we all know and love.
“But real assessments of players can only be done over periods of time. What I will say about this club is it will no longer be a revolving door.
“I am looking to rebuild the club and that is what I am doing, not for a month, not for two months but over a long period of time. I will assess the players over a period I think is reasonable.”
