Graham Alexander praises Brad Halliday's Bradford City recall

Graham Alexander has stressed from the off that the squad need to be on their toes every week – whether they are named on the team sheet or not.

That’s why the Bantams boss is so keen on training with the same intensity as a game to ensure that anyone called upon will be instantly primed for the rigours of League Two combat.

You never know when the opportunity will come so be prepared for any eventuality.

That was spelled out Saturday morning when Neill Byrne failed to keep down his pre-match banana, forcing City into yet another defensive rethink.

Jay Benn's form has kept Brad Halliday out of the team (Image: Thomas Gadd)

Brad Halliday’s place in the side had been pretty much written in stone last season on the way to a well-earned spot in the division’s team of the year.

He has not quite hit those levels yet this time around – and recently lost the full back/wing-back role to impressive young loanee Jay Benn.

But Alexander has talked up Halliday’s faultless response to the shock of being dropped and his exemplary attitude in training.

The defender backed up the manager’s high praise with a strong return at Tranmere despite being thrust into a different role on the right of the back three.

It was proof to the rest of the group, not that it should be needed, about swallowing any disappointment at being left out and ensuring you stay game-ready.

“We try to drum it into the players that if you let yourself go, you’re only letting yourself down,” said Alexander.

“Ultimately you’re letting your teammates down but you won’t be in the team. Or if you do play, you won’t do yourself justice.

“Brad’s a great example to the rest of the players that if you train right, when you get your opportunity you come in and play as well as anybody.

“It was brilliant to see because he’s not played there in pre-season or any other games.

“But he’s a good defender. He understands the game and how we want to play and I thought he was superb.”

Picking Halliday in a different position rather than established centre half Paul Huntington came as a big surprise when Byrne’s absence through illness was first announced.

Alexander later explained that Huntington had also been feeling a bit off earlier in the week.

But playing Halliday there also gave City more legs when they looked to go forward – and presented Tranmere with a dual threat to cope with when he pushed up alongside Benn.

“We were encouraging Brad to step into the play,” added Alexander. “He wants to bomb forward and I think he was a bit unsure whether we wanted him to.

“When we were switching the play, he could step in and join in that attacking threat down the right-hand side.

“With Lewis (Richards) on the other side, I think you’ve got that. You’ve got players who can defend but also step in and attack as well.

Brad Halliday handling ex-Bantam Omari Patrick at Tranmere (Image: Thomas Gadd)

“We’ll see how next week’s team looks and hopefully we get some centre halves back – or at least keep the ones we’ve got.”

Alexander likes his players to have more than one string to their bow. A full back or defensive midfielder during his own long career, he also played in a back three on a couple of occasions with Scotland if not at club level.

“It was a position I could have maybe played. I wouldn’t fancy the heading much but the rest of it I could have done.

“We’ve got good players and when we get consistency with how we want to play, the message is going to each individual and they can take it on board.

“Tranmere have got a really mobile front three and their counter-attacking ability with fast wingers is really good.

“That’s probably why we went with Brad as the right-sided centre half to have that mobility and why we brought Lewis on to give us that as well. It was better with legs than physical height.”

Halliday’s response to his late call-up will have come as no surprise in the dressing room – where the reigning players’ player of the year is held in the highest esteem.

"Brad wasn't going to be playing and he's come in and done wonders,” said Andy Cook. "You have to be mentally tough but he's come in and been unbelievable.

"It's not nice when you're not playing but he's ready waiting and he's taken his chance. It shows to others it could happen to them.”