In an open interview after Tuesday night’s loss to Dale, Jimmy McNulty expressed his anticipation about returning to the Crown Oil Arean on Saturday.
The head coach of Dale began by praising his captain, Ethan Ebanks-Landell, for raising his hands in the air after Barnet’s goal in the opening minute of play.
“The captain [Ethan Ebanks-Landell], being the way he is, instantly put his hand up and wanted to apologise to the changing room before he even allowed me to say anything,” McNulty recalled.
That describes the type of man he is. We want players with those kinds of qualities on the squad.
“Those who are eventually humble and take responsibility for their faults.
“Ebanks sacrificed everything he could to keep the ball out of his net after that. A thousand balls must have been headed by him from directly under his crossbar.”
McNulty continued, praising the 129 Dale supporters who travelled to Barnet on Tuesday night.
“A huge thank you to our fans tonight for their standing ovation following our Tuesday night 2-0 loss away from home,” I told the players present.
“The fans deserve recognition for enduring the long journey down today, sticking with us through to the very end, and showing us their support.” It’s a fantastic omen, and I sense that our club is feeling more positive right now.
A feeling on which we can prosper and recoup. We gave a fantastic performance at home last time. The fans were touched by it and felt a connection to us.”
The head coach of the Dale then talked about Sam Mather, who made his debut for the team by coming off the bench in the second half, and Finlay Armstrong, whose contract with the team has been extended until the conclusion of the season.
The addition of Finlay Armstrong is fantastic news for the team. We get another talented player as a result. “I think he did a good job tonight,” McNulty said.
Sam (Mather), we were excited about the possibility of having him on our squad during a critical period. We were unable to employ D’Mani Mellor and Tyrese Sinclair due to their medium-term injuries, and we were advised not to use Devante Rodney.
McNulty finished by looking ahead to the weekend: “Us, the fans, all as one in the Crown Oil Arena come Saturday, exciting day, exciting game, could be brilliant.”
Watch the full interview with McNulty below via our YouTube channel.
