[15 NOV 10] CRUSADER NEWS

Coach Payne: We're a work in progress

By Adam Manning, Crusaders Press Officer.

Crusaders head coach Roger Payne labelled the 86-65 defeat at Durham Wildcats as “a nightmare against a well-drilled team” as he saw his new-look squad fail to soak up Durham’s pressure.

 Crusaders never had a foothold in the game as the deficit grew larger at the end of each quarter against a team with chemistry at a premium – unlike the Crusaders who are still putting all of the pieces together.

 Trying to pinpoint the reason for his side’s biggest defeat of the season so far, Payne looked no further than his defence, saying: “For us it was a lack of team defence”.

 “The guys got their heads down early and we didn’t stick to the game plan which was to play team defence and stop penetration.”

 Payne, who took over the coach’s role from Scott Neely last summer, added: “Durham is a very well drilled team with some solid plays. They’ve been together a couple of years now and they won the second division last year. They’re one of the teams that I think will do well in the division this year.”

 Coventry were without forward Pierre Henry-Fontaine who was in Israel on work commitments, while Payne is busy working away to get an American presence in the side before the next game at Brixton Topcats in two week’s time.

 “Most of these other teams [in the league] have got their Americans and their squads, so we’re still missing a couple of pieces” Payne admitted.

 “The team is getting to know each other and how each other play: the strengths and weaknesses and people’s capabilities. It’s hard to get guys to gel within a couple of games, but still it’s no excuse for not putting the effort in on defence, which I thought we were quite poor at on Sunday.”

 With a 3-3 record in all competitions, coach Payne is satisfied with the progress his side is making. Especially when you compare it to last year’s dismal start which didn’t see Coventry pick up their first win until the eleventh attempt.

 “I think the start to the season has been good.” Said the Hillfields-born coach. “The team’s that we’ve lost against this season are the teams that last season’s side got absolutely blown out against.”

 “Like your Bristols where they lost by 30 plus points last year, losing to Leicester by 30 plus and us beating them this year. So that bodes well for the future but it would have been nice to get one over on Durham as they’ve got their full squad including Americans, but we haven’t got that at the minute.”

 Coventry’s next game is on Sunday 28 November away to Brixton Topcats. If you want to go to the game you can travel by coach and watch the game for just £12. The coach departs outside the Coventry Sports & Leisure Centre on the Sunday at 12:00pm in time for the 4:00pm tip off.

 To book your tickets – email Roger Payne on rogerpayne2010@hotmail.co.uk .

 

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