Manager Keith Hill spoke to Dale Player following Tuesday night’s pre-season friendly defeat to Accrington Stanley…
“I love a lot of what Accrington are all about. They’re honest and they’ve got really good commitment,” said Hill.
“John (Manager John Coleman) has got a really good young squad and they develop players. They’re in your face and it’s a great way to play. From an opposition point of view, I don’t think we could have got a better opposition. It was chalk and cheese to what we experienced on Saturday [against Huddersfield] and probably against Blackburn, but what a great game to provide us with the endeavours of the opposition that should be the norm.
“We got a little bit complacent and when you get a little bit complacent and a little bit arrogant, then an honest team will beat you. Not taking the score-line into account, I did think there was a little bit of complacency in one or two of my players and I don’t like that.”
Hill continued: “[It disappoints me], but if there’s going to be a bit of complacency then I’d rather it be at Accrington on a Tuesday night in a pre-season friendly.
“It’s brilliant, though, because it just shows you that every opposition has a heart-beat.
“You’ve got to look at Accrington and the way that they set-up and every time they play there’s probably eleven hearts out there. You’ve got to applaud them for that and out of their honesty I’m sure that Accrington will win a lot of games this season.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for John and Jimmy and I think they’ll do really well this season.”
The full interview is available to view on Dale Player.