Richie Wellens said that he is starting to form opinions of his players ahead of his first trip with Town, to Port Vale on Saturday.
Wellens takes his side to Vale Park, looking for their second league win in six but said he is beginning to understand his squad more and more by the day.
“When you come in and you’ve only watched players on Wyscout and things like that, it’s difficult to recognise a character and their strengths and weaknesses.
“We had a practice match on Tuesday which really helped with that – four or five players who didn’t play on Saturday, and they really impressed.
“I’m feeling more comfortable in my opinions of the players.
“I’m getting my opinions but they’ll be more concrete as we play more games – I’ll get a better base of the players.”
The Manchester-born manager was asked about last weekend’s defeat to Carlisle after he has had time to reflect.
“I was driving home and I felt like death warmed up. It’s not a nice feeling. I saw a lot of positives but I also saw a team that, if it’s not switched on, it can concede goals quite easily.
“It was the worst defeat of my young career (as a manager) and it was the worst timing but sometimes, problems are only problems until you find a solution. Before that we’d won one in eight, so there’s obviously problems and I want solutions. I haven’t come here to stand still.
“I want us to have a bit more rotation, a bit more excitement going forward. We did OK in the first half an hour but still too many straight lines. If you get one-on-one in the final third, I want you take people on, I don’t want you to check out.”
As the local media got to know the manager, Wellens was asked about Lou Macari having spies around the town centre and his attitude to players’ nights outs, and discipline.
“Sir Alex Ferguson used to do that – he knew every single bouncer around the town.
“If it’s a Saturday night, and there’s not a game until the Saturday after, then I’m OK. If you got beat, and depending on the performance, I want a bit of respect. You don’t go out in Swindon and see Swindon fans and stuff like that but you can’t manage them all the time – what they do in their private life is up to them.
“If there’s a game on a Tuesday after a Saturday, then no. If there’s a game on a Saturday after a Tuesday, then no chance. For me, if I have a drink now, it takes me three or four days to recover – I wouldn’t expect it to take the same with the players (at their age) so I’m happy for them to have a night out, meal with the family if it’s Saturday after.
“I’ve come here to be a success and we’ve all got to have our standards – and if you slip then we’ll pull them up on it. Hopefully, the group will hopefully lead by example.”
