Bradford City boss does not want his own mistakes repeated

With key injuries at the back this season so far, Shepherd and fellow loanee Cheick Diabate have had do a lot of heavy lifting in the centre of defence.

But the former is banned for today’s game at Fleetwood for picking up five yellow cards, while the latter has the same number, and has only avoided suspension because one came in the FA Cup, not in League Two.

With injuries hurting the Bantams this season, suspensions are the last thing they need.

Alexander told the T&A: “I don’t want the players to be picking up silly bookings, so I’ve spoken to Jack this week about how many of those were honest challenges and how many were either backchat or cheap little shirt-pulls.

“Now he’s given someone else the opportunity to step into his spot.

“I’m the last person to talk about silly bookings given my own playing career, but it did hurt me at times when I was suspended unnecessarily.

“I don’t want the players to make the same mistakes I did, and I just want them to learn not to put themselves on that tightrope when they don’t need to.

Graham Alexander just wants his players to take care, partly due to regrets from his own playing career. (Image: Thomas Gadd.)

“I expect a competitive team, so I’m never going to speak to a player who’s just mistimed a tackle.

“There are a few players on four bookings now, and I haven’t spoken to them about not being competitive to avoid a ban.

“But I tell the team all the time that (captain) Richie Smallwood is the only one allowed to speak to the ref.

“Jack has broken that rule and he’s paid the price.”

Alexander is trying to frame Shepherd’s ban as a positive in the sense it gives someone else a chance to make their mark in that centre back position.

He explained: “I always think like that because if we’re overly dependent on one player, we’re not a good team, it’s as simple as that.

“I believe in individuals being good players of course, but I believe in the team more.

“No player is bigger than the team, so if one of ours is missing, we put enough confidence into the other players that we can do well without that individual.

“We’ve missed a lot of players this season, but we’ve still picked up good results because we believe in the whole squad.

“Whoever gets their opportunity against Fleetwood, if they come in and help the team win, they could well stay in the starting line-up.

“Jack might have to be patient before he can get his spot back, but we’ll see how the game goes this weekend first.”

The Bantams have only won two of their seven league games on the road this season, something Alexander knows the must improve upon, starting at Fleetwood, if they are to remain as serious promotion contenders.

City were dreadful at Harrogate in September, but that is not the only away game where they have slipped up this season. (Image: Thomas Gadd.)

He said: “In the summer, we spoke about the need to win home and away if we want to be successful.

“Our away record last season was the third best in the division, but our home form since we came down to League Two a few years ago has historically been poor.

“It’s been points lost there that have cost us, but we’ve made great strides with that this season.

“Away from home, we’ve let ourselves down in two or three games this season, where we’ve gone away from what we’ve been doing well at Valley Parade.

“We never really change our tactics whether we’re home or away, we just want to approach every game looking to win it.”