Preston North End forward Sean Maguire is not letting the ‘frustration’ of the last few games get on top of him and says the squad are looking forward positively to the start of a three-game week.
The Irish international says the players have been reflective on the recent form, but knows that the situation is still within their own hands.
“At the moment there is a sense of frustration amongst ourselves as players, the staff and the fans, having lost four out of five games,” he told iFollow PNE. “But I still think there is nothing to worry about, in terms of being in sixth place with nine games to go.
“The last five games have not gone to plan, but it is not like in those games we have played particularly badly.
“I felt that in the first half against QPR we were brilliant – our game plan went perfectly and in the second half we didn’t do the basic things we have done all season to our usual standards, but with the position we are in, with nine games to go, it is pretty decent and the mood around the camp is very optimistic about these games and where we want to be come the end of the season.”
Seani also reflected on his own luck in front of goal, having hit both post and cross bar in the clash with Queens Park Rangers last Saturday.
“If I am scoring week in, week out, those chances go in every single time,” he continued.
“The one in the first half is the usual kind of situation I find myself in, where I have put my foot through it from a tight angle and if things are going for me that goes in the back of the net, but unfortunately it hit the outside of the post.
“I am still trying to put my finger on the one in the second half! You saw afterwards when I was hugging the post, I thought I was sinking into the ground. It was just one of those that you have to take and move on.
“I have to keep working hard and not get worried by it. If I don’t score any goals between now and the end of the season and we still finish in the top six, then I couldn’t care less.
“My goal is to help these boys to get into the top six; help the manager get where he wants to be and we feel that we deserve to be in the top six and I will keep working hard and not let it frustrate me too much and hopefully that goal will come sooner rather than later.”
The No.24 was born in Luton – where the team head this weekend – which will make this a very special occasion for the frontman, who grew up watching the Hatters.
“It is going to be my second every time playing at Kenilworth Road.
“I went there numerous times when I was growing up watching Luton when I was younger. I have quite a number of family still in Luton and quite a number heading over and it will be a good occasion, but I am there to do one job and that is to get us back to winning ways.
“It will be pretty special going there, having grown up watching Luton play when I was younger and it is going to be a tough test.
“Luton are scrapping down near the bottom of the league and Kenilworth Road is a very tight ground and pitch and the way they play won’t make it easy, but we will work on their strengths and weaknesses this week and hopefully get a result there on Saturday.”
And with the games remaining down to single figures, he believes that the fans have a big part to play in the remainder of the campaign, including the sell-out following at Kenilworth Road.
“The away fans have been brilliant all season; where that is a Tuesday or Wednesday night, away to the likes of West Brom and Stoke – where they was over a 1,000 who travelled – and we will need them again come Saturday.
“We have some massive games coming up and we need everyone to pull us through and I know it is a cliché, but they really can be the 12th man.
“Kenilworth Road can only hold just over 10,000, so those 1,000 supporters can make a huge difference. We need to put those frustrations of the last few weeks aside.
“It is a new week, a new game and we need to not look behind us and keep looking forward and concentrating on the next game,” he added.