Forest Green Rovers captain Jamille Matt has praised the man management skills of gaffer Rob Edwards off the back of his sides first league defeat since October.
Rovers’ 1-0 defeat at the hands of Michael Flynn’s Walsall marked the end of a 19 game unbeaten run last Saturday.
Matt gave an insight into Edwards the man manager and how his treatment of the players has affected the way the team has operated this season.
“I think man manager wise he’s the best I’ve worked under. He’s always got time for the boys and his door is always open. He always speaks to everyone, individually and collectively.
“You’ve got no grey areas, you know what’s going on and he’s there if you want to go and speak to him.
“Man management wise I think he’s been fantastic and that’s a massive part of the reason we’ve been putting in great performances this season.”
Rovers will be looking to bounce back this Saturday as they travel east to take on Crawley Town at The People’s Pension Stadium.
A first Rovers hat-trick for @NickyCadden last time we faced @crawleytown 🪄 #WeAreFGR 💚 pic.twitter.com/1GXvrYdL02
— Forest Green Rovers (@FGRFC_Official) February 23, 2022
The sides played out one of the games of the season back in August, where Rovers prevailed 6-3 at The Fully Charged New Lawn.
Matt had his say on the defeat last week and how the team has worked his week toward the task at hand this weekend.
“We didn’t start the game that well last Saturday and I think we could’ve been better with ourselves and we’ve got a chance to put that right this weekend.
“Its been a really good week, we’ve been working hard as normal and its just business as usual to be honest preparing for Crawley.
Another member of the FGR powerhouse that Matt had good things to say about was his fellow strike partner Matty Stevens.
Rovers’ top scorer Stevens has netted 20 goals this season and the pair combined have a staggering 37 goals, well over half of the sides goals this campaign.
#DynamicDuo @SkyBetLeagueTwo hotshots #MattyStevens #JamilleMatt
— Mark Clemmit (@MarkClemmit) February 24, 2022
What a great morning. Thank you @FGRFC_Official https://t.co/KcRBYyrULS
Matt spoke on his relationship with Stevens and how the pair aid each other in bettering themselves and their goal numbers.
“If I score in a game I’ll say ‘go on Matty get yourself a goal’ similar if he scores he’ll say the same thing to me just to keep pushing each other on.
“Any striker wants to be top goal scorer at the end of the season but we realise our job is to score goals to help the team.
“I think our partnership is right up there [with the best in my career]. Its been very fruitful and long may that continue.”
The boys from GL6 now sit 10 points clear at the top League Two with a game in hand over second placed Northampton Town.
And with just 15 games of the season left to go for Rovers, the glory of a first promotion to League One is edging ever closer.
The 31 year old has had previous promotions but emphasised the desire to help Forest Green into the third tier.
“That’s the reason I came to the club.
“With the hurt from last year, that really hurt in terms of missing through the play-offs again so Its one of those where we want to go one better and get over the line.
“Its a legacy that all the players will want to leave behind, but like I said we can only do that by performing on the pitch and that’s what we are going to do.”
A bounce back win for Rovers this weekend would be a 20th for the season and will certainly set them well on their way to a prized promotion.