Leighton Clarkson spoke to RedTV this week, looking back at recent performances and ahead the remainder of the season. The midfielder also gave an insight into working with Barry Robson and Steve Agnew.
“Training is intense. Since they’ve come in, they have both been intense and clear about what they want from us and the standard has been there since the day they walked in. We need to continue that level. The sessions are all quite physical and we have an idea of what we want to do in each session, to make ourselves better as a team and individually.
“In the first meeting, Barry mentioned that we were going through a bad patch but we had good players here. He said what he wants from us and he has the players to do it. We are trying to take everything he wants from us on the training pitch into the game.
“Steve Agnew has been brilliant. You can tell he has had the experience of working in the game and I think that’s helping Barry with certain things. A lot of what we do on the training pitch is down to him, he puts on his sessions as well. He is such a positive happy guy, he’s been a great addition.
“For me personally, it is pretty similar to the rest of the group. Barry knows I’m a good player and how I see the game and he has put me in a position where I’m able to get a lot more on the ball and can be a bit more aggressive, like in the Hearts game. I was freer to go and press people, where before I had a job to do. I have a freer role now which allows me to go and get the ball.
“My levels of performances are becoming more consistent, but I’d also say the team is improving as well. You don’t have a situation where one game I’m doing ok but the team aren’t, or the team’s doing well and I’m not. We all seem to be clicking at the moment.
“I’m always wanting to play forward first before going backwards or sideways. In the team, we are starting to play forward a lot more which is better for me. When you have Bojan and Duk up top, you need to be feeding them all the time and if you do that, the goals will come. Even with limited chances, they can help us win games.”
