James Connolly Confident Walsall Squad Will Click Despite Difficult Pre-Season
First Appearance for Walsall
James Connolly made his first appearance for the club at Telford on Saturday, wearing the armband. Walsall won 4-2 in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Nottingham Forest under-21s but have struggled to find the net in front of supporters during pre-season matches.
The team lost 1-0 to AFC Telford United at the New Bucks Head and suffered a 5-0 defeat against Luton Town in another behind-closed-doors friendly. Despite these setbacks, Connolly remains optimistic about the future.
Connolly: “It feels like we’re building up to something”
“Training everyday has been top drawer, the style has been good and the sessions are good,” said Connolly. “There’s a plan behind everything we do. It feels like we’re building up to something.”
He acknowledges that it might take a couple of weeks for the squad to click under new head coach Lee Grant but believes pre-season games are part of the process.
Reflection on Walsall Switch
Connolly, who rejected a new deal with Crewe Alexandra in the summer and joined Walsall earlier this year, reflected on his decision. He left Crewe at the end of last season and took time to switch off mentally before making a decision.
“I went on holiday and switched off after the season,” said Connolly. “You need to switch off because it’s a long season. My agent was speaking to different clubs, but as soon as I spoke to the gaffer here, it was done in my mind.”
Connolly signed a two-year deal with an option of 12 more months and had to bide his time due to a minor injury that forced him to miss some pre-season games. He is currently recovering from another minor injury sustained during the Luton Town match.
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