The Lads plan to stay down south after tonight’s match against Reading, with Watford away on Saturday too. Mowbray intends to use the time to build squad morale and bond with the lads on the road.
TOUGH RUN
“It’s a tough run of games. If you put the fixtures in perspective, then I think Middlesbrough and Watford would have been up there in everybody’s favourites to be in the top six at the start of the season. Reading wouldn’t have been there, yet they’re right up there in the top third at the moment.”
TEST OF CHARACTER
“In the context of the way the fixtures fall, you probably couldn’t get a tougher run of three consecutive away games, yet there they are for us. We’ll certainly know a lot more about ourselves on the back of these games.
SHOW NO FEAR
“They’re a test, although we certainly shouldn’t fear them. We’ve already been to Stoke City and Bristol City and won this season, so the away fixtures shouldn’t be too daunting. We’ve just got to go and do what the team does – express our talent, get our quality footballers on the ball and go and ask questions of the opposition.”
STAY DOWN SOUTH
“We’re planning to go to Reading, and then stay down south and train down south for a couple of days. It didn’t really make sense to travel all the way back, have one day here, then travel all the way back down south.”
TEAM BONDING
“We’ll eat together, we’ll go for walks together and we’re going to train two or three times down there too. I’ll be encouraging us to spend time together – I don’t just want them disappearing to their own room to play on their screens.”
CHILL OUT
“There’ll be a game on the TV on the Thursday night – it’ll be the Europa League I’d imagine – and we will all watch that together and talk about football and the match. It’ll be nice to be able to relax, watch football together and just chat.”
