football mindset

Narcis Pelach remains focused on Stoke City’s long-term progress, urging his players to stay grounded despite the recent 1-0 defeat to Burnley, which ended their five-match unbeaten run. With a challenging schedule ahead, including away games at Sunderland and Luton Town, Pelach insists that his team must avoid getting too high after victories or too low after losses. “As long as the effort was there… everyone was focused on what we had to do and played for the team,” he stated, emphasizing the importance of effort and teamwork over individual results.

Pelach, who has been with Stoke since September, continues to stress that the team is a work in progress. He has adapted his tactics, shifting to a more pragmatic approach against Burnley by using wing-backs and long balls. Looking ahead, he is confident that the foundations are being laid for improvement, even if results don’t always go their way. Despite the Burnley loss, he praised his players’ attitude and body language, acknowledging that the defeat was tough but realistic given the quality of their opponents.