Let's follow up our away form

WE’RE at home to Cambridge United on Saturday and it’s now important that we follow up two positive results on the road.

I had a loan spell at Cambridge earlier in my career back in 2012 and scored a couple of goals.

Jez George was their manager then.

It’ll be nice to play them again – they’re a bit of a wounded animal at the moment.

But it’s always dangerous coming up against those kind of opponents, because you don’t always know what to expect.

Being at home, we’d like to take the game to them but we can’t be complacent.

An eye for goal

IT was nice to get a goal in our draw at Tranmere Rovers last weekend and I want to chip in with them, this season.

At the time, I didn’t think too much of it but having watched it back on TV again since, it’s actually not a bad finish!

It was just a reaction at the time and it was good to see it go in.

In the last three seasons, I’ve got seven, nine and seven and it’s important for me to be scoring from midfield but it’s not about individual success, it’s about the team.

I can play in either the four, eight or ten role and when you’re playing as an eight or a ten, you’re expected to chip in a bit more with goals.

It was good to come back and get a point at Tranmere.

We knew that the crowd would be intimidating and they play a part in how they play.

I’ve said it before – the top teams in this league are the most consistent and we want to be one of those sides.

We have to keep picking up points and getting results.

We have targets set for each month and at the moment, we’re on course for this month but we need to keep it going.

But even if we do have a bad result along the way, I think we have the characters in the squad to respond – the mood will never be lower than a snake’s belly.

We’re being very professional as a team.

Rashford needs games

I WATCHED a bit of the England game the other night, against Switzerland.

It was good to see Marcus Rashford score the winner and there’s no doubt that he’s a great talent.

But in order for him to get to the highest level he can, I think he needs to move to another club – he needs to be playing week in, week out.

He’s already at a huge club in Manchester United and he needs to be playing regularly for a top club – if I were him, I’d be getting very frustrated at the lack of playing time.

Personally, I came through as a pro before the under-23 set-up was formed so I wouldn’t know what that’s like but they’re trying to bring more young English players through.

But you need to be playing and it’s the same for players like Ruben Loftus-Cheek, at Chelsea.

Fortunately, I’ve always played first-team football but I can’t think of anything worse than not playing.

It’s at League Two level but that’s the good thing about Colchester United, in that there’s a pathway there for young players like Diaz Wright, who made his first league start for us at Tranmere and did very well.

I don’t think any of the young Colchester players coming through have anyone else to blame if they don’t make it because of the opportunities they have.

Hat's off to Cookie

I’M not a cricket fan but I take my hat off to Alastair Cook for his magnificent international career with England.

The big thing about athletes at the top level is their hunger to succeed – it’s the same with the likes of Tiger Woods in golf, Usain Bolt in athletics and Phil Taylor in darts, over the years.

It’s a superb achievement to keep playing at the highest level for as long as they have.

I can imagine it might be hard to motivate yourself when you’re at the very top but they have had no trouble doing that and you have to be mentally strong to succeed as they have.

Dressed for success

APPARENTLY, 1860 Munich in Germany have released a special kit to celebrate Oktoberfest – with leather-look lederhosen-style shorts.

I’m not sure about that but I am really enjoying playing in our camouflage away kit, this season.

At the start, it was a bit like Marmite but now everyone seems to really like it.

It’s got a bit of an Army feel to it and it’s nice to see the fans wearing it.

We’ve had some good success in it to so far and I’ve scored two goals while wearing it.

It’ll be nice to get one in the blue and white kit now!

By George! Weah is evergreen

I NOTICED that George Weah dug out his boots again to play for Liberia – at the age of 51!

It’s phenomenal. I’m still only 26 but I’m not sure if I’ll still be playing then especially if I have to keep doing Sammie Szmodics’ running!