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Ian Evatt has explained his decision to switch the home and away dugouts before today’s game against Cheltenham Town.
Asked after the game why he had moved to the dugout closest to the South Stand – or traditional away end – the Wanderers boss says he felt visiting teams have had an unfair advantage.
“I think the layout of the stadium is wrong in terms of the away dressing room is next to the referee’s room,” he said.
“The away dugout is next to where the linesman is, so we should have that advantage.
“We want to be in the linesman’s ear as much as we can asking for decisions, so that was the thinking behind it.”
Other managers have tried to change their team’s fortune by altering which side they stood on matchday.
Fans may remember Rotherham United boss Paul Warne switching dugouts before his team hosted Wanderers at the New York Stadium in September 2019 – Keith Hill’s first league game in charge. The plan worked, with the Millers running out 6-1 victors.
Ex-Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi also tried to break with traditions at the City Ground in an effort to get a change in luck, although his short tenure suggests his plan did not work.
Aston Villa also did something similar in 2012 when former manager Paul Lambert decided he wanted to be closer to the hardcore supporters in the Holte End.
Meanwhile, Evatt also revealed the reason for bringing new midfield signing Kieran Lee off at half time.
The former Sheffield Wednesday man had played his first competitive game in several months on Tuesday at Exeter City but impressed again after starting against Cheltenham.
“He was fatigued before the game after Tuesday on that heavy pitch at Exeter with the long journey and his groin was getting progressively tighter, so we decided to change it before something serious happened, which I think is going to benefit us in the long term,” Evatt said.
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Asked after the game why he had moved to the dugout closest to the South Stand – or traditional away end – the Wanderers boss says he felt visiting teams have had an unfair advantage.
“I think the layout of the stadium is wrong in terms of the away dressing room is next to the referee’s room,” he said.
“The away dugout is next to where the linesman is, so we should have that advantage.
“We want to be in the linesman’s ear as much as we can asking for decisions, so that was the thinking behind it.”
Other managers have tried to change their team’s fortune by altering which side they stood on matchday.
Fans may remember Rotherham United boss Paul Warne switching dugouts before his team hosted Wanderers at the New York Stadium in September 2019 – Keith Hill’s first league game in charge. The plan worked, with the Millers running out 6-1 victors.
Ex-Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi also tried to break with traditions at the City Ground in an effort to get a change in luck, although his short tenure suggests his plan did not work.
Aston Villa also did something similar in 2012 when former manager Paul Lambert decided he wanted to be closer to the hardcore supporters in the Holte End.
Meanwhile, Evatt also revealed the reason for bringing new midfield signing Kieran Lee off at half time.
The former Sheffield Wednesday man had played his first competitive game in several months on Tuesday at Exeter City but impressed again after starting against Cheltenham.
“He was fatigued before the game after Tuesday on that heavy pitch at Exeter with the long journey and his groin was getting progressively tighter, so we decided to change it before something serious happened, which I think is going to benefit us in the long term,” Evatt said.
Source