Kemp opting to stay here underlines squad loyalty (From Worcester News)

Kemp opting to stay here underlines squad loyalty

7:40am Wednesday 11th March 2009 in Sport

TOM Kemp’s decision to stay at Worcester City shows the loyalty we have within the squad.

He had an opportunity to join a Blue Square Premier club last week but opted to remain at St George’s Lane.

There is a good sense of loyalty among the players and a big togetherness.

You are always going to get players who are not happy but, with the position the club is in at the moment following the pay-cuts, as soon as the game starts money doesn’t come into it for the players.

Whatever side I put out, I don’t think people can question the work-rate on display.

Fans might question the quality of the crosses into the box or things like that but not the work ethic and we have got to build on that.

Don’t get me wrong, if a massive team came in for one of my players, they would want to go.

That’s fair enough, because I want people here who are ambitious and don’t just want to go through the motions.

I want people who want to play for Worcester and push on through the league.

If they are getting noticed by other clubs, it can only be good for us because it will mean we are climbing the table.

We are almost there on the budget for next season and I want to be tying people down to deals as soon as I can.

There are a lot of players who deserve contracts, but whether we get them we will have to wait and see.

Although the play-offs look unlikely, the will to do well and pride to try and get in the top half of the table should be motivation enough for the players between now and the end of the season.

There’s no reason why we can’t go on another run.

We have got 10 games left and we will see where it takes us.

We have beaten Bromley home and away this season and it grinds on me and assistant manager Carl Heeley that teams like that are above us when we know it could have been us if we had been more professional at times and not so naive.

I think most of the games we have won we have deserved to win, but I think we should have got more points in the last five or six minutes of matches.

I am looking to repair how we do in the vital part of games next year as well as bring on the young lads coming through and work with the players who want to stay.

The likes of Shabir Khan, Gary Walker and Matt Dinsmore have done really well this season, while Jordan Fitzpatrick has also made himself a major part of the squad.

Craig Brown is biding his time and wants to get on the pitch.

He will get a chance because his attitude is great and his commitment will never be questioned.

He will run through brick walls for the club and it’s important we keep those players and people like Tom Kemp.