Whiting previews tough Elton Vale clash

Central number one Daniel Whiting has been an integral part of Manchester Centrals progress last season. We caught up with the man between the sticks on his responsibilities as a senior member of the squad, his expectations of his teammates and the season ahead.

Speaking on preseason he said, ‘it's been a great preseason from day one, the lads have put in a real shift and got themselves looking sharper and fitter which is massive for us to have within the squad, particularly in the winter months. Great credit to the management team for putting on a great preseason schedule for us.’

‘Preparations have involved several different aspects, most importantly making our team the fittest in the league but also working on our shape and the way we play to combat playing against some of the toughest opponents we have come up against.’

The number one also spoke on the changes within the squad from last season, stating ‘the team has changed slightly with new players coming in that will no doubt help us, but one thing has always remained the same which is the togetherness of the club. This has always been a big part for me to carry on working with the club.’

Whiting spoke on what he feels his responsibilities are as a senior member of the team, saying ‘as a senior player you do hold that level of responsibility on and off the pitch, making sure new and current players are supported through the highs and lows a season may hold.’

‘However, we do have a mixture of characters in the changing room that hold very high standards. This can only be a good thing heading into a new season, especially a new league.’

The man between the sticks also touched on his personal and team goals are this season, saying ‘clean sheets are a focus going into the new season, but not only for myself and the defense it should be something the whole team takes pride in, not just winning but winning whilst being solid defensively for 90 minutes.’

Speaking on Elton Vale and their preparations for the opening game, Whiting said ‘we know how well we have done in preseason, the goals speak for itself going both ways. We must make sure we keep our standards high and play how we have been.’

‘It's a long road but it's about being disciplined for 90 minutes, making sure we take our chances with the attacking firepower we have on the day and if we can I'm confident we can pick up the three points.’

‘An opening day win would be the most ideal outcome for the team. It helps set the standard for the season ahead, but we must be realistic and understand it’s a long season where anything can happen.’

‘We all need to remain solid defensively, conceding no sloppy goals and ensuring we take our chances when they come. We will take our games week by week, leaving everything on the pitch without showing complacency.’

The goalkeeper also spoke with us about his ambitions for the team this season stating, ‘we have to make sure we are a team that competes with the best of them this season and I believe with the players we have brought in that we will have a real fighting chance.’

‘Like I said it's about keeping our feet on the ground and taking it game by game playing the right style of football, and if we do this, we have a great chance of promotion and that is what we should be setting our sights on.’

‘This is definitely the main reason why I've wanted to stay another season with the club, to help the team as much as possible to help us achieve our targets.’

‘It's going to be a tough season, but we are prepared and ready for the journey. Hopefully we can welcome some new fans onto our journey at Seashells Trust as its going to be one hell of a ride.’ The number one gives us a great insight into Central’s preseason and what we can expect from the team this season. It is sure to be another wild and dramatic season for Central, who embark on a new challenge when they host Elton Vale this afternoon.