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First Team News

Hunts Excited By Team's Potential

1 September 2017

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First Team News

Hunts Excited By Team's Potential

1 September 2017

Defender Paul Huntington feels there is a lot more to come from this current PNE squad.

The squad is full of young, hungry players who are looking to improve under manager Alex Neil, and despite their age, a lot of the younger players are nearing 100 career appearances.

On the potential in the side, Huntington told iFollow PNE: "I think the more experience they can get the better, we've got a very good group of young players which for personally, it's a pleasure to play alongside them.

"There is some really good potential in several of the players and the average age of the team being 22 or 23 last week is great for the football club moving forward.

"It's really good for us as a group to have that youth and they are only going to get better with games and experience and they will keep improving.

"We have so much legs, especially in the middle of the pitch, in terms of getting about the pitch and it certainly makes our job a bit easier at the back!"

North End have picked up an impressive eight points from the opening five games, and the PNE No.23 is pleased with how the side have adapted to the manager's style of play.

"We know what the manager wants, don't get me wrong there is a different game plan for each different team so we are not always going to set up the same way but it's important that we condense the pitch and keep a high line.

"Early on it was about taking the messages on board and now it's about keeping doing the right things and not getting complacent and looking forward now to the next group of games in Septemeber.

"We will be going into every game, as we always do, trying to impose our game on the opposition and go and try and win the game."

Before a ball was kicked, many outside of the club expected the Lilywhites to struggle with a tough month in August, mainly facing clubs who are expected to be battling for promotion come the end of the season.

Huntington knows that the belief in the squad can play it's part and that the team is capable of beating anyone on their day, regardless of their budget spent on players or the size of the opposition club.

"We've found that going to so-called bigger clubs and the expectation being on them from the fans that they should just turn up and win. Football isn't like that and if things were based on budgets and size of clubs then things may be different but it's about 11 players going out on the pitch.

"In our games, I've certainly felt that as a group collectively we have wanted it a little bit more than some sides.

"I think the positives are the performances against the bigger clubs who are expected to be up towards the top end of the division and I think we've outplayed some of those which is a positive sign.

"We can't get ahead of ourselves, we've got to keep doing the things that have brought us some results and look to improve on the things that maybe haven't gone too well and that we can improve on.

"I think with the coaching staff we've got, as a group we're all really keen to learn and take things on board and taking that onto the training pitch and then into the matches and I think that bodes well moving forward."

Hear more from Hunts by clicking on the video above.


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