Cotterill has given special praise to Kyle McAllister having picked up the monthly accolade given by the National League
Prior to this weekend’s trip to Maidenhead United, Forest Green Rovers manager Steve Cotterill has given Kyle McAllister a lot of praise for winning the league’s player of the month title.
In addition to his previously outstanding accomplishments, the winger scored three goals and provided one assist to win this month’s Vanarama National League player of the month award.
Cotterill remarked of McAllister, “I am really pleased for him, I think he is a good lad.” “I enjoy working with him, and I’m very happy for him that he has that.” It is much deserved, so I am thrilled.
Cotterill narrowly missed out on the manager of the month award, which went to York City boss, Adam Hinshelwood, despite having the same points record in October.
Rovers were impressive away at Stockport County in their 2-1 defeat after extra-time last weekend. On how to replicate a similar performance, Cotterill said: “You always want to replicate the same performance if you have had a good result. Sometimes, you don’t have a good result, but you want the same performance.
“So, we will prepare to do well in every game and this week has been no different. We know it will be a difficult game; it has proved that already for teams that have gone there this year.”
The Magpies currently sit 19th in the table having picked up 16 points from as many games. However, they have only lost one of their last six in league action.
“I think you probably know my answer to that,” Cotterill said on whether their league position was slightly false at this stage of the season. “Alan (Devonshire) has done a really good job down there and has been there for a while now, we are full of respect and admiration for what they do there.”
Emmanuel Osadebe missed out on last weekend’s FA Cup tie due to an injury, whilst Ben Tozer was forced off in the second-half also. On the progress of those two players, Cotterill said: “One better than the other, I suppose a 50% success rate on that we will probably have to settle for.”
Both Joe Quigley and Harvey Bunker started against Stockport in their first starts for a little while and were both particularly impressive and received plaudits from Cotterill after the game.
“It is funny, one week we are seemingly stretched and the next minute we are flush,” Cotterill said on the options available. “I think what has happened to us a couple of times this season when we have picked up injuries, we have had a couple together, two or three that have been together.
“Then what happens is those two or three come back and we are flush again, it is part of the season that you have to navigate yourself around it. It takes up a lot of your thought process and a lot of your worrying. I will always try and pick what I think is the best team at that moment in time. It is not always seemingly what people think are your best players, but sometimes it is about picking the best team for those certain games.”
Rovers’ players this season have largely had to be quite versatile. Notably, Osadebe has played on both wings, central midfield and right-back already this season at some stage. On the importance of having that versatility and using it correctly, Cotterill said: “Manny (Osadebe) would say he would go in goal, you have to take it with a pinch of salt sometimes what Manny says. He is like the rest of them, they are good lads and always want to play.
“I have had players in the past that have said ‘I can play there’ or ‘I have played there before’, they don’t actually tell you what their performances have been like when they have played there.
“We have a group of guys here this year who want to play, and sometimes it’s to get themselves on the team. The hardest part is trying to keep them all content and healthy. We put a lot of effort into it and devote a lot of time to the boys who aren’t on the team since they are very significant and might join at any point.
In this weekend’s match, Forest Green supporters will recognise Shawn McCoulsky, a former striker who played under Mark Cooper. He joined the team in the 2018–19 season and left in the summer of 2021.
Since their 1-0 victory against Maidenhead in the 2010–11 season, Rovers have not played Maidenhead the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup thanks to a goal from Reece Styche on the stroke of half-time.
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