Dodds looks for Wycombe upturn before play-offs
Wycombe boss Mike Dodds has challenged his side to set a high performance level to carry them into the play-offs after missing out on automatic promotion from League One.The Chairboys spent much of the season in the top two, heading the table for several weeks, but will have to do it the hard way if they are to regain the Championship status they lost in 2021. They were second, five points clear of Wrexham, when Dodds was appointed following Matt Bloomfield's departure to Luton Town. But they have only won seven of his 17 games in charge and have slipped to fourth in the table, below Saturday's opponents, third-placed Stockport County, on goal difference."We're fully focused on what we need to do. The game on Saturday is a really tough game but beyond Saturday, there's a bigger picture in terms of the next couple of weeks," Dodds told BBC Three Counties Radio."We've got to make sure we understand that we're a really good team at this level and any of those other three teams won't want to be playing Wycombe, that's for sure."Any result other than a defeat would see Wycombe set a new club points record total since they joined the English Football League in 1994. Should the game end in a draw, both teams could be joined on 85 points by Charlton Athletic, who are at home to Burton Albion, but the south London club's goal difference is inferior.
Wycombe won five games out of seven from 18 March, losing only one, but have been beaten by Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient in the last two.Dodds said the 4-0 home defeat by Charlton felt like a "kick in the abdomen" and the performance at Orient was not good enough either.But he believes that momentum leading into the play-offs is not an infallible guide to potential success."My experience of the play-offs is they're so emotional, there's so much riding on the games, people look at form, look at data, they look at all sorts of things," added the former Sunderland coach."There are counter arguments either way. There'll be the teams that have gone into the play-offs (in the past) on the back of winning five, six, seven, eight games and not got promoted and there'll be history of teams that have not had that form and got promoted."They're a completely unique set of circumstances in terms of going into what is effectively a knockout competition over two legs." On the potential points record, he added: "87 is a huge number for the club and something everybody associated should be proud of. The result will be the result, but what I want to see is a much better performance."
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The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
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Asked about other heavyweights who could present a future challenge, Dubois refuses to be drawn, telling me: 'Many of them, but right now I'm just going to stay in my own lane and focus on the guy in front of me: Usyk. I've got to get him out of the way. It's the mountaintop from there.' At the time of our interview, the 27-year-old is eight weeks into a 14-week training camp. His team is understandably keeping many cards close to their chest with the fight just weeks away – 'When we have press here, we tend not to show everything, because remember the same personnel are still going to go to Usyk's camp, and they gossip,' his trainer Don Charles says with a wry smile. But they are willing to share a bird's eye view of the training techniques they are implementing to create a world champion in waiting. Daniel Dubois: Strength training You might expect someone with Dubois' physique to spend much of their time hoisting heavy weights around. 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Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Wales Online
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney face up to £13.4billion reality after Wrexham promotion
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It's hope their involvement will help Reynolds and McElhenney achieve their dream of taking the club into the Premier League. Deadpool star Reynolds restated that goal in the wake of Wrexham's promotion from League One, which was confirmed after a 3-0 home win over Charlton in April. Sign up to our newsletter! Wrexham is the Game is great new way to get top-class coverage Wrexham AFC is the arguably the fastest-growing club in the world at the moment thanks to a certain Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The Dragons have achieved two consecutive promotions and are cheered on by crowds from not only North Wales but also from all over the globe, thanks to the success of the Disney+ documentary 'Welcome to Wrexham'. But does it have a dedicated, quality source of information piped through to your inbox each week, free of ads but packed with informed opinion, analysis and even a little bit of fun each week? That's where Wrexham is the Game steps in... Available every Wednesday, it provides all the insights you need to be a top red. And for a limited time, a subscription to 'Wrexham is the Game' will cost fans just £15 for the first year. Sign up for Wrexham is the Game here Posting on social media, the Canadian wrote: "We've been with Wrexham for what seems like the blink of an eye, but so much has happened. "I remember the first press conference, we were asked what our goals were… and I think Rob jumped in with, 'The Premier League'. People laughed. They had every right to. It seemed insane… But we weren't kidding." Article continues below The co-owners have certainly taken steps to shore up Wrexham's financial position in recent times and prudently took out an insurance policy to cover the cost of promotion bonuses ahead of the 2024/25 season. However, climbing into the Championship will be the biggest challenge they have faced yet during their whirlwind journey.
Daily Mirror
10 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Craig Bellamy issues new Wales demand as Belgium accused of 'lack of respect'
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