Charlie Adam is preparing his Fleetwood Town side for an EFL Cup battle against his former side Stoke City tonight.
The Cod Army have had a great run in the competition, beating Championship and League One opposition in West Bromwich Albion and Rotherham United to reach this point. A win over City would secure a place in the last 16 and a highest-ever finish in the competition for the Lancashire side.
Stoke will be led by Adam’s former team-mate Ryan Shawcross in the wake of the sacking of Steven Schumacher yesterday. Despite an okay start to the season, the hierarchy in Staffordshire decided to oust the former Plymouth Argyle man and have already lined up a replacement in Narcís Pèlach.
Previewing the tie to the club’s website, Adam said (Quotes via Stoke On Trent Live): “Stoke is a very special football club with some great people. I had seven amazing years there and it’s something I look back on with fond memories.
“We know we are going to come up against good players who can hurt you on any day. Stoke are a Championship side and for us, that’s the challenge to go there and express ourselves and show what we are capable of.
“I know people will make the game about my return, but for me, it’s about what my team can do on the day and I just want us to go there and show that we are a good side.”
The former Potters midfielder took the helm at Highbury in December but couldn’t prevent the relegation of Town to League Two. It has been an average start back in the fourth tier, with eight points across five games and is currently in 12th place.
Discussing how he has viewed the season so far, the ex-Reading and Liverpool star continued: “I don’t think we’ve seen this team at full capacity yet. I think we are growing and you can see us getting better with each week. We have a lot to improve on, but I know we have the foundations there to progress.
“We are still working with those summer arrivals and with a lot of games coming up in such a short space of time, it will give the staff a great challenge, but also the players who will have their time on the pitch to impress.
“It’s important we do well in cup competitions and go as far as we can. We want to win every game and it gives players the chance to play at an amazing stadium, with a big pitch and showcase themselves.”
Writer’s View
Tonight’s game could be the best bet of an upset in the cup this round. A short-notice change of management in Stoke will give Fleetwood Town a chance of beating yet another higher-level side and break a club record in the process. Both games against West Brom and Rotherham were comebacks so even if they find themselves behind early on, they will still believe they are in the game.
Stoke on paper will be the favourites and their form in the EFL Cup does hint at the same being true. They decimated Middlesbrough in the last round and have also knocked out League Two opposition in Carlisle United. Ryan Shawcross being a club legend will have the full backing of the crowd tonight so Fleetwood will be up against it when the whistle blows this evening.
1st Class Honours in Multimedia Journalism at Salford University. Writing mainly about League Two.
