Bradford City v Northampton Town: 'Sometimes I think people wonder if I actually work in football,' jokes Graham Alexander
EASTER is regarded as a pivotal time in the English leagues, but Bradford City manager Graham Alexander is loathe to make too much of it.
And he is so focussed on his own team, he jokes some people probably do not believe he works in football.
The Bantams are asking fans to hold aloft scarves when they take to the Valley Parade pitch for Friday's League One game at home to Northampton Town, followed by Monday’s trip to Wycombe Wanderers, one of those hoping to take their play-off spot.
With only five afterwards, they are big games – but not, says Alexander, do-or-die ones.
"It's not how we like to work, putting all our chips on the table for one particular game," he says.
"They're all important, and there's lots of football and a lot to be decided yet."
Ten points from safety with a game in hand on Blackpool in 20th, the Cobblers are rapidly getting into do-or-die territory.
"I think that's good," says Alexander. "We want to play in those types of games. We never underestimate an opponent. It's massively dangerous."
Northampton have one win in 19, as Alexander was told in his pre-match press conference.
"I didn't even know," he protested. "It's not through a lack of interest or anything, I just know how much work I've got to do here, with my staff and players.
"I've learned over the years it doesn't change anything for me. I'm always driving my performance, my team's performance, to its highest level. There's too much work in that to go, 'They've done this, they've done that.'
"Honestly, sometimes I think people wonder if I actually work in football, if I know about other teams' records and stuff like that, because it's just no interest.
"If I'm looking at something else, I feel like I'm cheating on my own team."