ALAN ARCHIBALD hopes his Partick Thistle squad can take inspiration from the Firhill club's off-field approach as they prepare for their third Premiership campaign.
The Maryhill club have adopted a ‘not so cuddly anymore’ manta ahead of their third season back in Scotland’s top flight.
After finishing 10th and eighth in the last two terms, Partick Thistle are eager to improve once again in the coming months as they look to establish themselves amongst our top-ranked teams and continue their progression on and off the park.
Archibald will have a younger first-team squad at his disposal for the new campaign but is confident his side have what it takes to be successful in the Premiership once again.
He said: “We don’t want to be the nice, cuddly Partick Thistle.
“In the first season, we played nice football and got a lot of plaudits, but we never went anywhere with it.
“We were still down there at the end of the season and that is something we were keen to shift on the park. Last season, we did that and we had more of a mean streak.
“The younger ones are learning from the ones that are there.
“Coming up from the 17s, we try to get them playing the same way as the first team so that when they come in, it is not new to them and they know exactly what they are doing.
“We have seen that in pre-season, all the boys are doing the things we want and need them to do. That has been the mantra over the summer, getting the ball down and playing but winning and knowing how to win.
“As a squad and a management team, we recognised the problems after the first year and we improved on those last year.
“We know that clean sheets and not losing certain games and picking up the right points at times can take you just as far as trying to win games and ending up losing them.”
Thistle will kick-off their campaign with a trip to Hamilton Accies tomorrow afternoon as they look to get off to a winning start and set the tone for another successful season.
Archibald has added Tomas Cerny, Gary Miller and David Amoo to his squad over the summer but has lost a number of key players, including defenders Stephen O’Donnell and Conrad Balatoni.
But the manager insists his side still have what it takes to shine as his continues his search for further reinforcements.
Archibald said: “Progression for us is finishing higher than we did last season, which was eighth.
“It is going to be even tougher. A lot of teams have really strengthened, and we probably haven’t to date.
“Budget wise, it has been hard to do. A few have left and the younger ones will come in for them.
“That is the way it is, but we know we have got the basis of a good squad here and enough to go and finish eighth or higher.
“It will be us and Hamilton that will be tipped to go down, because people just judge it on money. It is what it is but we have just got to get on with it.
“We know with the quality we have got on the pitch, we have got a good starting XI and a good backup, we can do well this season.
“We are still short in certain areas and we know that but we aren’t taking bodies for the sake of it.”
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