Bradford City: Stephen Humphrys says Wycombe are benchmark.
STEPHEN Humphrys believes Wycombe are always a good benchmark for strong League One teams. City’s return to third-tier football begins tomorrow against a team that qualified for the playoffs after finishing fifth last season.
Humphrys, who has faced the Chairboys numerous times, believes they will set a good standard for his new team’s ambitions.
He stated, “Wycombe will be very direct and high energy, and they have good forward players.” “They don’t have a weakness anywhere on the pitch and will fight until the end. We have to match that, and I believe our team has the ability to score goals.
“I can’t remember how many times I’ve played against Wycombe, but I’ve scored a few goals against them over the years. “It’s a regular occurrence that I enjoy.
When you play someone like Wycombe, you can always keep up with your team. “It’s not like we’re playing a newly promoted team or a relegated Cardiff. It’s not the same as playing Wycombe, who are always a top League One team, so you know where you stand.
Wycombe lost to Charlton in the League One play-offs last season. (Image: PA) Humphrys has high hopes for the Bantams and believes he is entering the new season in top form after completing the entire pre-season, which he did not have with previous club Barnsley.
“I’m buzzing it’s over,” he said. “We haven’t had many days off, but everyone feels better for it. “We all feel fit and strong, especially me, who did not have a pre-season last year.
I felt it for quite some time. “But now I’m fit and ready to go, and I can’t wait for it to start. “It’s just the sharpness levels. Last season, I could play for 90 minutes, but I had to manage myself during games.
“I didn’t feel like I could go all out with the accelerations, decelerations, and sprinting behind. I was limiting myself. “But now I feel a lot sharper in and around the box, with the first touch, and things like that.
We’ve been working on it throughout the preseason. “When you are doing the runs every day and are always fatigued, working on your touch under those conditions is only going to help when you get out on a pitch.
” Starting at Valley Parade is an added bonus for Humphrys, who was one of nine new recruits this summer. “I can’t wait to walk out of the tunnel, hear the noise, and take everything in.
“We’ve been mentally prepared for the season for about three weeks, but physically, we’re there now. Everyone is eager to get the first game underway.
“I don’t want to speak too soon, but looking at other squads, I don’t see why we can’t be right up there. We have a good mix of youth and experience on the team, and there is a lot of energy.”
Read more on sportupdates.co.uk
Leave a Reply