Bradford City boss Graham Alexander says his players are taking pride in representing the club rather than worrying about opposition reputations.
The Bantams sit second in League One after an impressive start to the season, with Alexander insisting that belief and togetherness are driving their success.
Respecting Themselves
City have taken 24 points from their opening 11 games, earning notable victories against Huddersfield Town, Cardiff City and Luton Town. For Alexander, the early momentum has come from focusing inward rather than being overawed by bigger names.
“Our badge is the most important,” said Alexander. “I love competing against other clubs and always respect going to great venues and that sort of thing. “But I’ve never taken away the affection or feeling I have for my own club or own teammates.
“You have to have that. What I see from the players, they are proud of being a part of Bradford City’s team and history and making good memories for people.”
Alexander explained that his philosophy stems from his own playing days, where he preferred managers who backed their own team rather than talking up the opposition.
“My reference point is my own playing career. If I had a manager who talked about the opposition more than me or the team, it peed me off.
“It made me feel that they didn’t believe in us and what we did. “Then with the ones that always talked about what we could produce, I’d think ‘yeah, this is what we’re about’.
“I want my players to have that feeling I had. That’s how I try to do things.”
Collective Over Individual
The 52-year-old has rotated his squad frequently this season, but the collective spirit remains strong. He praised the selflessness within the dressing room and rejected the idea that individual awards define success.
“It’s a team game. There’s a lot of individualising team sports and football, man of the match and player of the year, even manager of the month.
“I don’t particularly like any of it, to be honest, because it’s a team sport. No individual can do anything on their own, it’s impossible.”
Alexander added that his squad’s unity extends beyond the pitch, saying he takes satisfaction from seeing players become “better people every day.”
Writer’s View
Alexander’s clarity of message has underpinned Bradford’s best start to a season in years. His emphasis on respect, togetherness and pride has clearly resonated with the squad, who have shown resilience and discipline throughout the opening months.
While it remains early days, the manager’s insistence on focusing only on City’s own standards might just be the formula that carries the Bantams back towards the Championship.
