Oxford united FC
Dean Saunders: Oxford United must avoid Championship ‘hangover’
The U’s will compete in League One next season after finishing 22nd in the second tier last term.
Saunders played for the club from 1987 to 1988 and played 52 times, scoring 20 goals, before moving to First Division champions Liverpool.
The former Yellows goal scorer appeared at the DEBRA Charity Cup at Oxford City last weekend for the Oxford United Legends team alongside other ex-professionals including Graeme Souness, Ron Atkinson and Matt Le Tissier.
Speaking exclusively to the Oxford Mail, Saunders opened up on his feelings towards Oxford and went on to detail what the U’s must do to bounce back from relegation.
“It’s hard to compete [in the Championship] for Oxford. But it was nice to see them in there last year, and I thought they were going to stay up,” the 61-year-old admitted.
“Six or seven games to go, I thought they were going to do it. So I was a bit gutted.
“I was always proud to play for the club. But they’ve got to bounce back now.
“There’s sometimes a hangover from relegation. Players thinking they’re too good to be in League One. Feeling sorry for themselves. Maybe saying to their agent: “Can you get me out of here? I don’t want to play in League One”.
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“And then right at the start of the season, you get off to a bad start. Because the players, up until the first game of the season, still think they’re leaving. They’ve got a chance of getting out the trap door.
“The manager’s job there is to get their minds focused on winning the first three or four games. Once that takes care of everything, you get off to a good start. Everybody wants to be there.
“Matt Bloomfield…he’s balancing the budget. Deciding who wants to be there.”
Saunders went on to become a manager after his playing days ended.
“I’ve managed in League One, I’ve managed in the Championship. It is a big difference.
“I managed Wrexham against Oxford in the conference. 2011, something like that. Chris Wilder was manager.
“I was distraught to see him in the conference. I played for them in the [First Division]. But even being in the Championship, I thought that’s brilliant coming from where people forget.
“Luton have done it, Wrexham have done it: coming from down there, right down there all the way up to the Championship. It looks like they’ve got good foundations as a club.”
Oxford begin the new campaign with a trip to Leyton Orient in the Carabao Cup on Saturday afternoon, marking the start of a new era under the leadership of former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey.
The U’s have had a summer of mixed fortunes, winning all four of their pre-season fixtures after being hit with a temporary transfer embargo for failing to comply with the EFL’s Squad Cost Management Protocol (SCMP) regulations.
With the Yellows unable to bring in new faces or replace departing names, young players and those formerly on the fringes of the squad have been given a huge opportunity to secure a first-team place.
As one of the senior figures at the club, Brannagan has opened up on his influence on those players.
“I’ve had close conversations with them because it’s a great opportunity for the younger ones to come through,” the 30-year-old declared.
“The stage is theirs, to be honest. I’m sure that Gaff has come in and had conversations with them and said that there will be opportunity for you.
“If it was me as a young kid now, I’d be looking at that going, this is my chance.
“They’re all great kids; they work very hard and they do deserve the opportunity.
“I wish them all the best and hopefully they will grab that opportunity by the scruff of the neck and do really well.”
One of those young players is fellow midfielder Harrison Bradney, a youngster who has progressed through the club’s academy since joining at the age of seven and impressed in his performances in pre-season.
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“I try to help them all, to be honest, in their own ways,” Brannagan continued.
“It’s never easy as a young kid, especially stepping into the first-team environment but, yeah, Bradley is great.
“I see it in training; he’s got great quality and he’s got potential to hopefully have a great career.
“Bradney knows if he obviously ever needs anything, we’re always here to help him.
“I think he’s been great pre-season and trained really well; [it is a] massive season for him.”
Three players have left the club – Ole Romeny, Nik Prelec and Will Vaulks – since the embargo hit but the U’s players have had to remain focused on the season ahead amidst the off-field drama.
“There’s always conversation in the dressing room, but obviously that’s for the dressing room.
“Everybody here is focused to play for Oxford United and that’s the main focus. Our main focus is tomorrow.
“I know it’s a cup game, but we want to go there and hopefully get the result.
“It’s an important game and we want to get through to the next round.”
The U’s kick off their season with a trip to League One rivals Orient in the cup, a first competitive fixture for new head coach Ramsey after a pre-season with four wins out of four.
The former Arsenal midfielder was appointed as Matt Bloomfield’s successor in June, with the club being hit with a temporary transfer embargo shortly after.
Three players have left the club since the ban – Ole Romeny, Nik Prelec and Will Vaulks – with rumours also recently surfacing regarding winger and last season’s player of the year Mills.
The 22-year-old scored twice in three games during pre-season including a second goal against Premier League side Ipswich Town.
“Stan has missed a couple of days of training, so he’ll be seeing how he gets through the next today and seeing what he can do,” Ramsey confirmed.
“But same with Brian [De Keersmaecker] as well, just seeing how today looks and seeing if they come through OK to be available for tomorrow.
“The rest of the squad are all trained well this week and they’re raring to go as well.”
Belgian midfielder De Keersmaecker did not feature during pre-season.
With the Yellows currently unable to replace any departing players, the club has a fight to keep the squad together during the last month of the transfer window.
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“They are always are tricky, aren’t they?” Ramsey answered when questioned whether it would be a difficult rest of the window.
“With things going on in the background and stuff like that, but that’s all part and parcel of the job and me as a manager to be able to manage them situations.
“But for me, the players, they’ve been fully committed and I can’t speak highly enough of them.
“I’m really excited now for them to show what they can do this season.”
The 35-year-old begins his first season as a head coach with a trip to East London in the cup after retiring from professional football in April.
“It’s different, obviously being on the side line, but I can’t stress enough that I am really excited for this.
“I’m ready for this opportunity and I hope that’s evident to see now.
“The team and the squad have been fantastic throughout pre-season and now it’s just about adding layers to that and for that to come to life now in these games.
“It’s a chance to win a trophy at the end of the day, so for us it’s an important competition and we want to be testing ourselves against the teams and seeing how far we can progress.”
The former Oxford centre forward was a free agent after leaving the club last season.
Bradshaw, 34, has scored 115 goals in 473 career league appearances.
Last season, he was loaned to Barnsley in League One, where he scored three goals, including two against his new club.
He had no goals but one assist from his 18 games at Oxford.
The former Wales international is the Millers’ ninth summer signing and could debut in Saturday’s Carabao Cup first-round tie against West Bromwich Albion.
His contract includes an option for an additional year, though it’s unclear whether this is player or club option.
He becomes the ninth new player at the club for this season.
Rotherham were relegated to League Two last season.
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