FINISH ON A HIGH – COOPER

FINISH ON A HIGH – COOPER

Skipper wants strong finish to 2014/15 season…

United skipper Liam Cooper has echoed the view of head coach Neil Redfearn and says that he and the squad want to end the Championship season on a high.

United’s recent run in the league has seen four defeats on the bounce and the central defender says the team need to turn that around and pick up some points before the season’s conclusion.

“We aren’t winning games at the moment and it’s not nice when you aren’t winning games,” said Cooper. “As a football club that is what we want to do.

“It is always difficult but things just aren’t quite going our way at the moment. We have played some good teams, we’ve held our own but we’ve also come up short.

“We need to turn that around and start getting a few more points. There are three games left and we want to finish on a high.

“Things aren’t quite falling for us. The things that are going on around the club, we can’t let that affect us.

“At the end of the day we are a football team and we’ve got to do it for ourselves and each other. As professionals we have got to get on with our jobs and we will do that.”

In recent weeks Liam has been in and out of the side due to injuries and the form of Sol Bamba and Giuseppe Bellusci, but he is now free of injury and hopes for a run in the side.

“I picked up a few injuries in my hip and groin but that’s all settled down now and I feel great again,” added the skipper. “I have managed to get back in the team and hopefully I’ve done enough to keep my place.

“It’s always good when there is competition for places. Peppe is a great player and Sol is a great player.

“We’ve got to keep spurring each other on and I’m sure that we will.”

When asked about the 2014/15 the United captain spoke about the importance of the young players at the club and expressed the importance of keeping them over the summer months.

“We’ve got some great youth coming through. Obviously Kalvin (Phillips) made his debut and scored in his second game,” said the defender. “It is great that the head coach is putting these lads in and he’s not afraid to do that.

“They are paying him back with goals and great performances. We are on a good foundation and hopefully we can kick on next season.

“If we want to be successful we have got to keep hold of those young players. That is down to the people above us.

“Obviously teams will be sniffing because the lads have had great seasons. You can’t hide that, if you score goals and play well then you will get noticed. That is how football is.

“But I’m sure that the club will do all they can to keep hold of those players for sure.”

With three games of the Championship season remaining the skipper says that the squad will be searching for maximum points.

“Derbies (against Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham United) speak for themselves,” said Liam. “I think that if you go into those games half-hearted then you get found out.

“That certainly won’t be happening with us.

“I’m sure that myself and a few of the senior boys will get around the team and get them ramped up, and so will the head coach.

“We’re going into the next three games hoping for three wins.”

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