GRAHAM Alexander hates the idea of rotating his squad through the busy Christmas schedule.
After Saturday’s trip to Gillingham, City will brace themselves to play four games in 10 days over the festive period.
Alexander has plenty of options to choose from, with 24 outfield players currently training.
But he will avoid deliberately tinkering with the team just for the sake of it.
“As a player, I wanted to play every single minute of every game,” said the city boss. “I am sure these guys are no different.
“If you talk a little bit that way (about rotation), I think it weakens their mind and if you have a weak mind, I think you will be physically weak.
“I think you have to go, ‘No, I can play every minute.’
“These are professional footballers and this is their life. They should live and think like professionals.
“Every game is a chance to do what you want to do.
“I hated that term ‘rotation’ as a player. It got used against me a little bit in my late 30s, so I have fought against it like hell.
“We have to assess players. I have not got a team for this game and one for that game and then think, ‘well, I might have to rotate him.’
“I’ve got a clean slate for these players and it’s up to them to show me and prove they are fit enough to help us win every game.”
Alexander has stuck with the same team—and subs—for City’s consecutive league wins. He only made three changes to the starting line-up in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy against the Liverpool under-21s last time out.
He added, “I think it’s good we have healthy competition and without a shadow of a doubt, we won’t just play 11 players for those games.
“But I can’t tell you who might drop out and come in right now because I believe in rewarding performances and wins with ‘there’s the shirt again.’
“That’s what you have to fight for every time you go on that pitch. It’s what kept me going as a player.
No points are targeted for hectic holiday period
“You have to reward that and put it in the hands of the players.”
Christmas and New Year are seen as two of the big landmarks of the season, with so many games compressed into a short spell.
But Alexander will not set a specific tally for his side to reach by the end of it. He is not a manager who splits the league programme into blocks of games with mini-targets.
“I don’t get that—how can you try and go ‘this amount of points or that’?
“Surely, your target has got to be the maximum. That’s how I see it.
“Unless someone educates me, that is a better way of doing it.
“I experienced it as a player and it didn’t work for me or the team. Bite-sized chunks, next game—can we win it?
“Hopefully, the answer is yes and then crack on.”
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