GRAHAM Alexander is maintaining a positive outlook with City’s current situation.

The Bantams have won just one of their last six games in all competitions.

The postponement against Accrington then left them kicking their heels in a bid to put that right.

City are now building up to Saturday’s return to Morecambe in the FA Cup second round eager to get their away form going again.

Colchester’s last-gasp leveller in the most recent league outing snatched away a third win on the road.

But boss Alexander is keen to emphasise the positives.

“I think we’ve conceded six goals in the first 20 minutes in away games. We didn’t even concede a shot on target for 60 minutes at Colchester.

“We’ve gone to the 99th minute but look at the improvement we’ve made on what we worked on. That has to stay with us all the time.

Conceding so late against Colchester was a painful blowConceding so late against Colchester was a painful blow (Image: Thomas Gadd)

“Unfortunately, we conceded after five minutes last Tuesday (against Rotherham in the EFL Trophy). But we didn’t concede another shot on target for the rest of the game.

“We have to keep that positivity on the defensive side of it and then try at work at the other end about taking the opportunities that we create.

“I don’t say ‘you made a mistake here, you made a mistake there’ because the players will know that.

“It’s ‘can we do this better next time’ and look at what we did do well.”

Alexander feels an encouraging nature when analysing performances will get a better reaction than hammering the players after they have done something wrong.

“There’s a lot that goes into it but it’s certainly not 20 minutes of negativity,” he added. “I don’t believe that takes us forward.

“It might get something off my chest but that’s just being selfish.

“It’s important to look at genuine positives you’re doing. I like to be on the encouraging side of it and empowering the players that we are good enough to win these games of football.

“We’ve all got it in us. We all want to do well in our jobs, to survive, pay the mortgage, we’re always thinking about improving ourselves and our life.

“I’ve got a lot of responsibility and love that. I’ve got to focus on the things that people expect.

“Sometimes it’s hard to control your mood because we’re human.

“But the question I ask myself is ‘what do they need from me?’

“I’m here to serve the players and help them. I want to win myself and feel good about my job but it’s what the players need.

“That starts me off on the right path - but I can have my moments.”

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