Barnes Pre-Match: “Everyone is Excited”

Rovers Manager John Barnes was upbeat and enthusiastic ahead of his first competitive match in charge of Rovers this Saturday afternoon when his side travel to Yeovil Town’s Huish Park for the 2009/10 season opener......

As he prepares for his first competitive game in charge of Rovers this Saturday when Tranmere travel the long distance to Yeovil, new Manager John Barnes is upbeat and enthusiastic about the season ahead.

Barnes told the Official Tranmere Rovers Website......

"It's an exciting time for everyone, we are as ready as can be expected. It's my first competitive game in club football as a manager in England. I've been a spectator for nine or ten years and always wondered what I would do in certain situations. Now is the chance for me to put those theories into practice. I can't wait to get started."

"I'm never going to say we're better at home or away. If we start getting into that mindset then it doesn't help. The more people go on about away form and distances travelling to games, you give yourself an excuse for not doing well. It's an ideal fixture for me because it's the fixture that's coming up. You have to treat every game as if you're playing against the best team in the world."

"We've had Yeovil watched so we have an idea of what to expect. But as with pre-season you don't know if the team you see will be the team that will start the season. Until you get into the league season and you can see the pattern of their players week in week out, it's difficult to know what to expect."

"Charlie Barnett is likely to miss the game. He's going to train today but he hasn't done anything for over a week. Apart from him and Bas everyone is fine."

"Ian Goodison can't play on Saturday, but he will be back to give us some strength and composure at the back. Everyone looks to him...he's the Club Captain. We are still looking at maybe getting in another defender too."