Chris Powell: Sven is my mentor, I'm not a cup thrower

Evening Standard

Chris Powell has been a manager barely a month but one thing is certain he is not for turning. There is no question of abandoning the football principles for which he was considered to be a very cultured left-back, nor his reputation as the nice man of football.

Last week could not have been rougher. After starting with four victories, Saturday's home defeat by Exeter followed the loss at Hartlepool, pushing the side out of the play-off places.

"League One teams are terribly fit and can be quite physical," the managerial rookie tells me. "I want us to play football in the right way, to pass the ball, and look after that football. Because, as Xavi said recently, what's the reason for being a footballer if you don't want to pass the ball?