Carl Baker says the players are still brimming with confidence after last season’s promotion success and he hopes that will aid them at the start of their Sky Bet Championship campaign.
Baker was named Player of the Year in 2014/15 as the Dons secured a second-place finish in League 1 and ensured themselves a place in the second tier for the first time in the Club’s history.
“The lads are looking well and I know everyone is excited to go,” Baker told Big Red Dot magazine. “We are still full of confidence after having a successful season and although we’ll be one of the bookies favourites to go straight back down, we all believe a lot different.
“It was important we kept most of the lads together because the camaraderie of the group was what got us over the line and promoted. The new additions will only make us even stronger as well so hopefully we can give it a right go and give a good account of ourselves.”
Baker is one member of the Dons’ squad that has experience of playing in the Championship, having made 80 appearances in that division for Coventry City between 2010 and 2012.
And while the 32-year-old was honest about the tougher challenges he and his team-mates will face, he believes the squad shouldn’t be afraid.
“You see these teams with big badges and it puts a bit of fear into people but if you overlook that, their players are no better than what we’ve got here and they certainly can’t be any fitter because we’ve trained so hard.
“I’m sure the manager will get us ready. He loves the tactical side of the game, figuring out teams and working out how we can beat them. I believe in him and the staff and trust they’ll give us the ammunition to go out and win games.
“Position-wise I don’t know where we’ll finish but I’m confident we can shock a few people and hold our own, at least.”
“The lads are looking well and I know everyone is excited to go,” Baker told Big Red Dot magazine. “We are still full of confidence after having a successful season and although we’ll be one of the bookies favourites to go straight back down, we all believe a lot different.
“It was important we kept most of the lads together because the camaraderie of the group was what got us over the line and promoted. The new additions will only make us even stronger as well so hopefully we can give it a right go and give a good account of ourselves.”
Baker is one member of the Dons’ squad that has experience of playing in the Championship, having made 80 appearances in that division for Coventry City between 2010 and 2012.
And while the 32-year-old was honest about the tougher challenges he and his team-mates will face, he believes the squad shouldn’t be afraid.
“You see these teams with big badges and it puts a bit of fear into people but if you overlook that, their players are no better than what we’ve got here and they certainly can’t be any fitter because we’ve trained so hard.
“I’m sure the manager will get us ready. He loves the tactical side of the game, figuring out teams and working out how we can beat them. I believe in him and the staff and trust they’ll give us the ammunition to go out and win games.
“Position-wise I don’t know where we’ll finish but I’m confident we can shock a few people and hold our own, at least.”
