City boss expecting another positive display

City manager optimistic at prospects of earning bragging rights in Devon Derby

"We go into every game expecting to win. I don’t go into any game with a pessimistic outlook, so we’ll do our very best for the game."
Paul Tisdale

Ahead of the Devon Derby against Plymouth Argyle at St James Park, City manager Paul Tisdale is going in with a typical degree of optimism at Exeter’s prospects of earning the three points and the bragging rights.

The Grecians have found a way to win on five occasions from the first nine fixtures of the Sky Bet League 2 season, and he is confident that they can prosper again when the sides clash for the first time this season in the 1pm kick-off.

City only picked up a single point from the two derbies against the Pilgrims last season, and so Tis is confident that they will have adapt their gameplan according to the occasion to find a way to triumph – and that the will to win has never been in question.

“Plymouth will be a tough opponent,” said Tis. “I don’t think there’ll be any surprise if we have a very competitive game.

“We go into every game expecting to win. I don’t go into any game with a pessimistic outlook, so we’ll do our very best for the game.

“Have we changed our outlook on how we play in these games and what we do in order to win them? Maybe. But we don’t change our optimism or outlook in terms of wanting to get the result.”

“I understand the importance of the game for both clubs, and for people who support Exeter every week and see this game as a particularly exciting and interesting game. And I certainly recognise that myself.”

Tis also explained that the role of the coaching staff over the coming days will be to equip the players appropriately to make decisions of their own accord, and to feed them the key duties.

For Tis, the approach will be about refining the messages and equipping a very able group of players with some digestible instructions that will lead to a City victory.

“My job is to not give them too many things to focus on,” Tis explained. “That’s when my role comes into it in terms of how I direct the team, and that’s for me to decide. The last thing I want to do is give them 101 things to think about.

“They need as few directions from me as possible, as long as I hit the right information and give them their priorities.

“That’s about my skill and our knowhow as a group of coaches – we’ll debate for hours, we’ll think about it, we’ll go through all the possibilities and then we’ll deliver one or two important messages. That’s what my job will be over the next couple of days.”

Fans that are coming to the Devon Derby must have their tickets in advance of the fixture. It is an ALL TICKET game and tickets can be bought online, by phone or in person from Reception. Click here for information on how to buy.

Words by Richard Dorman.