Appetite for success will help fulfill League ambition
Michael Stone says the new-look Rushden & Diamonds squad must share an ambition of getting into the Football League.
The assistant-manager met up with latest signings Aaron O'Connor and Matt Pattison at Nene Park yesterday as the summer rebuilding programme continues to take shape.
Next week Diamonds are set to confirm deals with an experienced centre-half who played in the Blue Square Premier last term plus two young midfielders arriving on season-long loans from a Coca-Cola Championship club.
Stone said: "We are not far off now but we're still looking to bring in one or two more.
"I'm quite excited about this squad now because there is a nice blend of players around the age of 25 – like O'Connor and Pattison – who really want to prove themselves.
"They already have experience of playing senior games and it's going to be a challenge for everyone to push back into the League.
"We don't want players coming here to see out their careers, feeling relaxed and then just taking their foot off the pedal.
"They have to be ambitious to put themselves into a position where they can develop their careers with Diamonds or at a higher level.
"We want that desire and appetite along with a mentality where we are much harder to beat.
"That will enable us to actually achieve something next season.
"The squad will be younger in age but the likes of Kurt Robinson and Curtis Osano have played games at this level.
"So we're not blooding youngsters the Conference and hoping it works out for us.
"For example, Pattison has been through a tough time at Woking but he will grow up pretty quickly from that experience.
"We think we can help these players to develop at Diamonds during the season."
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Monday 13 February 2012
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