Graham Alexander Tegaskan Bradford City Tak Ubah Taktik Lawan Bolton

Manajer Bradford City Graham Alexander menyatakan timnya tidak akan mengubah pendekatan permainan saat menghadapi Bolton Wanderers dalam laga leg kedua semifinal play-off League One pada Rabu, 13 Mei 2026. Alexander menegaskan tetap mempertahankan strategi yang telah diterapkan sepanjang musim demi mengamankan kemenangan.

Target utama The Bantams dalam pertandingan penentuan tersebut adalah meraih hasil maksimal tanpa memedulikan skema lawan. Alexander menekankan pentingnya menjaga identitas permainan tim yang telah dibangun selama dua tahun terakhir di bawah kepemimpinannya.

"There's clarity - we have to win the game," kata Graham Alexander, Manajer Bradford City kepada BBC Radio Leeds.

Alexander menjelaskan bahwa prinsip untuk selalu mengejar kemenangan telah tertanam di setiap laga kandang mereka selama dua musim terakhir. Ia menolak untuk mengubah rencana besar hanya karena menghadapi laga krusial di babak play-off.

"The way we have approached all of our home games for the past two years is 'we have to win'. We've never gone into a game targeting any less than that," ujar Graham Alexander, Manajer Bradford City.

Sang manajer, yang menggantikan Mark Hughes pada November 2023, berupaya membawa klub meraih promosi beruntun untuk pertama kalinya dalam sejarah tim. Bradford sebelumnya berhasil naik dari League Two musim lalu setelah mengalahkan Fleetwood di menit-menit akhir.

"We have to look at what we've done over the past two seasons and just this season at home and the blueprint is there for us," tutur Graham Alexander, Manajer Bradford City.

Menurut Alexander, kesuksesan tim di masa lalu telah membangun ikatan kuat antara skuad dengan para pendukung di stadion. Ia meyakini para penggemar sudah sangat memahami peran besar yang mereka miliki dalam memotivasi pemain di lapangan.

"We're not going to change. I don't think I'm giving any secrets out there, we're not just going to come up with some masterplan. I don't want it to be about our opponents, I want it to be about us," ucap Graham Alexander, Manajer Bradford City.

Dukungan suporter dianggap menjadi faktor kunci, terutama dalam momen-momen sulit selama pertandingan berlangsung. Alexander memberikan contoh saat tim tetap mampu menang meskipun harus bermain dengan 10 orang pada musim ini.

"What the fans have bought into and played their part, we've seen it so many times over the past two seasons," jelas Graham Alexander, Manajer Bradford City.

Ia menambahkan bahwa saat pertama kali datang ke klub, atmosfer stadion sempat dianggap negatif oleh sebagian orang, namun kini telah berubah menjadi energi positif yang luar biasa. Keyakinan pendukung terhadap kemampuan tim dinilai tidak pernah goyah.

"The last game of last season where we were throwing everything at it and it was just constant encouragement, or this season when we were down to 10 men and we went on to win it - it's those moments, and there will be moments and lulls, when the backing of supporters can keep players alive," ungkap Graham Alexander, Manajer Bradford City.

Mantan pelatih Scunthorpe dan Motherwell ini merasa tidak perlu meminta secara khusus agar suporter memberikan dukungan maksimal. Ia yakin para pendukung akan hadir sepenuhnya untuk mendampingi perjuangan para pemain di laga tersebut.

"When we first came here we saw how it could be perceived to be a negative but it's nothing but a positive now. The faith the supporters have shown in the team has been unwavering," kata Graham Alexander, Manajer Bradford City.

Alexander juga mengapresiasi loyalitas fans yang tidak perlu diingatkan kembali tentang betapa pentingnya peran mereka. Ia optimistis atmosfer stadion akan membantu performa tim dalam mencapai target promosi.

"I see a lot of times when it comes down to this point the manager pleads with the supporters to do this and that but I don't think I have to - I think they know. There's no big request from me. I know they are going to be there for the players and we're looking forward to it," ujar Graham Alexander, Manajer Bradford City.