Manager Keith Hill says his Manager of the Month award for September is down to a collective effort.
He has also praised his players for their efforts so far this season after the side secured four wins from during the month.
He told Dale Player: “It’s testament to the players who bought into the plan we've proposed and the plans that the staff have implemented with respect to the training programme, fitness levels and what we did in pre-season.
“It’s a collective award for everybody including the Chief Executive, the Chairman and the Board of Directors. It’s a reward for the efforts of the players because a Manager is nothing without the backing of the players. The players put into practice what I expect of the team every day.”
Can the Manager of the Month award be a curse? Hill isn't convinced.
“I’m definitely not superstitious. I lived at number 13 for 17 years and I was very successful in those 17 years,” joked Hill.
“I don’t believe in superstition, I believe in preparation. I do believe that you can trip yourself up with a little bit of complacency at times in any league and in any walk of life and it’s that we’re all guarding against. Without our tool bag we’re nothing, without our honesty we’re average, and we have to be better than every opposition with respect to our work rate and honesty.
“Complacency is the enemy of success and that’s the only thing that can really undermine you, your preparations and performances. You’re not going to win every game regardless of whether you win manager of the month or not, because sometimes it could be the oppositions day, it could be the smallest margin and a minimal mistake.
“I’m not fearful of complacency because I know the group of players we’ve got.”
The full interview with Keith Hill is available on Dale Player.