Michael Collins hails character as Bradford bounce back to beat Burton

Posted Wednesday, August 22, 2018 by PA

Head coach Michael Collins praised the character of his players and hit back at his critics as Bradford City ended their three match losing run in all competitions with a 1-0 home win over Burton Albion.

After winning the opening match of the season at Shrewsbury, the new look Bradford team lost League games against Barnsley at home and Southend away with a League cup defeat at Macclesfield sandwiched in between.

These three setbacks prompted supporters, who criticised the appointment of Collins during the summer, to express their displeasure.

However, Collins, who was elevated from under-18s coach to head coach by chairman Edin Rahic, when most fans wanted an experienced manager to take charge at Valley Parade, said: “There is a lot of negativity about this cub at the moment.

“I can’t do anything about that. All I can do is to come in and do my job to the best of my ability.

“I am desperate to be successful at this club. I have a very supportive chairman, who gets a lot of unnecessary stick and I am allowed to do my job.

“We work very hard at this football club and we have got a group of players who can lay something down for the long term.

“There was a lot of negativity last week, but after three defeats we decided to dust ourselves down and put three points on the board.

“Credit to the players for how they did their job. We have got characters out there who have hearts the size of lions. We have got lads who will run through a brick wall.

“People who criticise me don’t faze me and the players showed tonight how much we are together as a group and I can’t praise them enough.

“It wasn’t a great performance, but we did what we wanted to do. We wanted a reaction after the Southend defeat and we got it.”

The decisive goal came in the 32nd minute through Huddersfield Town loanee Jack Payne. The pint-sized midfield player picked up a loose ball and shook off two Burton defender before beating goalkeeper Stephen Bywater.

Burton had several chances to equalise and manager Nigel Clough said: “I can’t work out how we came away with nothing.

“We had so much of the play and so many chances and to give away such a poor goal is beyond frustration.

“I thought the game was there to be won in the first 30 minutes.

“When they scored, I think it was the first time they had been in our penalty area. I find it difficult to believe how we lost this game.”