[h=3]Oatway: Missing out would not be failure[/h]9:00am Saturday 6th April 2013 in Albion By Brian Owen
Albion will be aiming to stay in the top six as they prepare for kick off against Leicester today
Albion's season will not be a failure if they miss out on the play-offs.
That is the defiant message from first team coach Charlie Oatway as the Seagulls lock horns with fellow contenders Leicester City at The Amex today.
Sixth-placed Albion currently enjoy a two-point cushion over Leicester. Other former Premier League clubs such as relegated trio Bolton, Blackburn and Wolves, together with Middlesbrough, Birmingham and Leeds, are trailing in their wake.
Oatway declared: “I wouldn’t say it would be a failure by any stretch of the imagination. It has been very positive this season the way we have been and what we have to deal with, because there are some big clubs in this division.
“You have got to bear in mind the teams in and around us. Forest are in amongst the pack now and there are a good few sides that can easily do that.
“Blackpool a few years ago did it. There are enough games for people to get points and a few of us have got to play each other. Forest have got quite a hard run-in and Leicester’s is very hard as well. Everyone has got games they think are going to be tough, so before you know it, it could have changed.”
Albion are defending a seven-match unbeaten home run in the Championship following Tuesday’s 0-0 draw against Charlton, while Leicester have dropped 19 points out of 21 over the same period to fall below them.
Oatway expects more ups and downs between now and the end of the season and believes losing would not be fatal to Albion’s hopes.
“We’ve still got enough games,” he said. “It’s a massive game, a cup final, but there are still other games to go and there are still going to be a few more twists and turns, I am convinced of that.
“I try not to give it a thought about losing, because we’ll be doing our best to make sure we win it. It’s going to be tough, because they have got some good quality players.
“We’ve got a great group of lads, some fantastic players and some fantastic men. They are managing and coping with the situation. They feel we should have got more points than we did against Charlton and were probably a little bit more wounded after the game the other night.
“But we are in amongst it, whereas before we were looking for one or two results to go our way and maybe get us in the pack. Now we are there it is literally down to ourselves to make sure we stay there until the bitter end.”
Original article
Albion's season will not be a failure if they miss out on the play-offs.
That is the defiant message from first team coach Charlie Oatway as the Seagulls lock horns with fellow contenders Leicester City at The Amex today.
Sixth-placed Albion currently enjoy a two-point cushion over Leicester. Other former Premier League clubs such as relegated trio Bolton, Blackburn and Wolves, together with Middlesbrough, Birmingham and Leeds, are trailing in their wake.
Oatway declared: “I wouldn’t say it would be a failure by any stretch of the imagination. It has been very positive this season the way we have been and what we have to deal with, because there are some big clubs in this division.
“You have got to bear in mind the teams in and around us. Forest are in amongst the pack now and there are a good few sides that can easily do that.
“Blackpool a few years ago did it. There are enough games for people to get points and a few of us have got to play each other. Forest have got quite a hard run-in and Leicester’s is very hard as well. Everyone has got games they think are going to be tough, so before you know it, it could have changed.”
Albion are defending a seven-match unbeaten home run in the Championship following Tuesday’s 0-0 draw against Charlton, while Leicester have dropped 19 points out of 21 over the same period to fall below them.
Oatway expects more ups and downs between now and the end of the season and believes losing would not be fatal to Albion’s hopes.
“We’ve still got enough games,” he said. “It’s a massive game, a cup final, but there are still other games to go and there are still going to be a few more twists and turns, I am convinced of that.
“I try not to give it a thought about losing, because we’ll be doing our best to make sure we win it. It’s going to be tough, because they have got some good quality players.
“We’ve got a great group of lads, some fantastic players and some fantastic men. They are managing and coping with the situation. They feel we should have got more points than we did against Charlton and were probably a little bit more wounded after the game the other night.
“But we are in amongst it, whereas before we were looking for one or two results to go our way and maybe get us in the pack. Now we are there it is literally down to ourselves to make sure we stay there until the bitter end.”
Original article