Graham Alexander explains why 'common sense' is serving Bradford City well
BRADFORD City manager Graham Alexander has told his players to embrace the challenge ahead - with bellwether games on the immediate horizon against Luton Town and Stockport County.
City have started the season in positive fashion in an unbeaten start with four points from their opening two games on their return to League One, including an opening-day win over a Wycombe Wanderers side who were in automatic promotion contention for much of 2024-25.
A fine EFL Cup win at Championship side Blackburn Rovers has further added to the good vibes at Valley Parade.
They now face two sides tipped to be fighting it out at the business end of the table next spring in Luton and Stockport, who both boast 100 per starts to 25-26.
Alexander, who side welcome Luton on Saturday and head to County on Tuesday, said: "Nobody has set the future in place by winning two games. It’s just a kick-start in a long race.
"I don’t really look at form of teams at the best of times. I look what they can do in their best moment and plan around that.
"Luton have been in the Premier League and Championship, Stockport have had a continued rise for the last four or five years. The challenges come thick and fast but that’s what we’re here for.
"I said it to the players after the Blackburn game. How tough was that?
"We’ve got no rest period or time to relax. We have to prepare, regenerate and go again.
"The quicker we become accustomed to that, the better we’ll be for the challenge ahead.
"But I think we’ve got a group that have shown that in the past and I’m sure they will continue to do that in the future."
While City can reflect on an encouraging opening to the campaign, Alexander is quick to stress that his players potentially getting ahead of themselves is simply not in the equation.
"We wouldn’t let them – but we’ve got good pros in there who wouldn’t let it happen either," he added.
"I hear the same good messages that I heard many times last season when we had really strong performances and wins. There was a common sense.
"We want to enjoy victories. You don’t just flatline and have no emotion, you’ve got to feel good about yourself and be in the moment like we were after the game.
"But the next day working, we have to be looking at the next game ahead of us. That’s what we always try to do.
"When you’re in a club for a reasonable amount of time, it becomes the norm for people and then the players take it on.
"Your communication gets less on that side and more about the game.
"The first year or so you’re trying to drive that message about that consistency and then let players run it. I think we’ve got a group who are good for that.”