Paul Tisdale insists spirits remain high at Stadium MK, as his MK Dons side prepare for an important fixture with Tranmere Rovers this weekend.
The Dons sit one place below Tranmere in the Sky Bet League One table heading into Saturday’s clash and know a victory could see them climb above their opponents and move clear of the bottom three.
Despite the current league standing and recent form, Tisdale remains upbeat and confident in both his and his players’ ability to turn fortunes around.
“The mood is remarkably good considering,” Tisdale said in his pre-match press conference ahead of this weekend’s meeting with the Lilywhites.
“You'd assume it would be a pretty dark and miserable place, but it's not. In terms of how the department is functioning, how we're training and how we're all getting on, it's remarkable.
“That's a credit to the coaches, the staff and, of course, the players. They are receptive to our ideas and requests, and they are training really hard. I've had more enjoyable periods, but there is nothing going on Monday to Friday at the moment which is worrying me.
“I still love coming to work, I love the players and I have a belief in what they do. We've got some real quality in our squad and I know when the wheels start turning, we'll be fine. I believe that, and if I believe that, the players will too.
“We've not had it all our own way this season and it is challenging. I'm not lost for ideas or clarity, we're just having a challenging time. And I enjoy challenging times.”
The Dons could move up to 18th place with a victory on Saturday and create a four point gap between them and the relegation places. Tisdale, though, isn’t labelling it as a must-win – as every game is must win.
“Every game is must win but the art of manoeuvring ourselves through this is removing ourselves from that reality,” he said.
“Every game is important, some more than others. My job is to produce 'less is more' and give the players less to think about, less anxiety, less factors. That's how I've managed to do it for 20 years. You have to detach yourselves from those emotions sometimes.”
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Tickets for Saturday's clash with Tranmere Rovers are priced at £22 adults, £17 seniors and £7 under-18s while under-12s go FREE with an accompanying adult.
Supporters can upgrade to premium seats in the East Centre for a £5 premium while an upgrade to clubRed is just £10 more.
Club Dons members are entitled to £5 discount on the matchday price for 10 EFL games while Young Dons members can take advantage of a £1 discount on prices - why not use that discount for today's match?
To book tickets click HERE, visit the Box Office at Stadium MK or call 0333 200 5343.
