Davis praise for very similar Walsall model

Steve Davis is hoping that his Crewe Alexandra side can take their morale boosting result and performance against Coventry into this weekend’s trip to Walsall but he appreciates that Dean Smith’s Saddlers will be a tough opponent at the Banks’s Stadium.

Walsall have lost just once at their home this season to Yeovil Town back in August and Davis is a keen admirer of the job Smith has achieved in the Midlands.

Ahead of this weekend’s trip to Walsall, Steve told crewealex.net: “As I’ve said for the last couple of years, this is a tough league. All the teams are decent with good players and you have to the majority of your players playing well on the day if you are to get a result.

“It is all very tight and the winning margins are slim. Walsall are a good side and Dean has come through the Academy there and knows how to get the best out of his young players. I think he has done a terrific job.

“Walsall are very similar to us in many ways. They try and promote as much as they can from their Academy and they have had to cope with losing some of their better players. It isn’t easy replacing the likes of Patterson and Griggs with the money they have available and that is the difficult side of recruitment.

“What Dean has done and why I’ve tried to do since taking over here, is to play the younger players when they are ready. It is good to see and when you have a club that is brave enough to do that and give young players their chance you want them to stay in the league.

 The boss added: “We know it is always a good football match when we play Walsall and we have got to look to build on what we did against Coventry.”