Play-offs are the aim - Williams
LEFT-BACK Robbie Williams has set his sights on a play-off place for Plymouth Argyle next season.
The 27-year-old sees no reason why the Pilgrims cannot challenge for a top seven spot, provided they get their campaign off to a good start.
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Robbie Williams
They open up with a game against Aldershot Town at Home Park on Saturday, August 18, followed by trips to Dagenham and Redbridge (August 21) and Oxford United (August 25).
The Argyle squad returned to Home Park today for the start of pre-season training after a two-month summer break.
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Williams, who recently signed a new one-year contract, is upbeat about the forthcoming campaign, especially because of the experience within the ranks at Home Park.
He told Herald Sport: "You have got to be positive and set your sights high. I'm confident we can be a top seven side if we can get a good start.
"The fans have been great and supported us all the way last season.
"It's a massive club for League Two. I think it's a top of League One/Championship club.
"Hopefully, we can do the business this season and get the club back to where it should be."
Williams signed for Argyle last summer, when the club were in administration and mired in a desperate financial crisis.
He and the rest of the Pilgrims' squad were not paid properly until after James Brent completed his successful takeover of the club at the end of last October.
Williams described that as the worst period of his 10-year career as a professional footballer.
But, that is all in the past now, and Williams believes the Argyle squad can achieve success after escaping the clutches of relegation in 2011/12.
Williams said: "We have kept pretty much everybody from the back end of last season.
"With a couple more additions, I would have thought, touch wood, we should be challenging at the top of the end of the table.
"That's what we have to set our sights on. We can't afford to have another season like the last one.
"We have got a strong squad with a lot of players who have been there and done it before."
Centre-back Darren Purse, midfielder Paul Wotton and striker Nick Chadwick were all recruited by manager Carl Fletcher during the course of the last campaign and put their vast experience to good use.
"You are talking about the spine of the team there," said Williams. "It's a massive help.
"But there are a lot of other players with experience – me and Bas (Onismor Bhasera), Walts (captain Simon Walton), Feeno (striker Warren Feeney) and Jake (Cole) in goal."
Bhasera and Williams are likely to compete for the left-back role in the forthcoming season.
But Bhasera – who can also play in midfield – will not return to training with the Pilgrims for a while yet after being on extended international duty with Zimbabwe during June.
Williams made 30 appearances for Argyle last season – all of them starts – and scored two goals.
After a spell out of the side, he was recalled for a 1-1 draw at Macclesfield Town at the end of February, when Bhasera was away with Zimbabwe, and kept his place for the rest of the campaign.
He put in consistent performances as Argyle's much-improved defensive record led to them avoiding the drop.
Williams is now looking forward to the new campaign after a summer spent in his home county of Yorkshire.
He said: "It has been a great break. I really enjoyed being home seeing family and friends who I have missed.
"It's difficult being away from home and only getting back once a month or every six weeks, but it's a sacrifice you need to make.
"I don't mind because I like playing for Plymouth."
Comments
by Brian137
Friday, July 06 2012, 11:30AM
“RUBEN REID looked pretty good when he was with us originally and he did score against us, but I do agree we shouldn't rush in where angels fear to tread. The last thing I want to see is another steve maclean turn up, a man who only turns it on when he's being mr angry.
On youtube Paris Cowan-Hall looks quite a decent player. He's normally no.7 for Woking:
http://tinyurl.com/cd2twcq”
by bennytheboy1
Friday, July 06 2012, 10:05AM
“Sorry ment to add NO DYNAMIC STRIKERS seem to be listed,do they even exist in the lower leagues these days ? With a bit of support perhaps one or two of our underated youngsters might step up to the plate or would we prefer to have the likes of RUBEN REID (just moved to Yeovil) back ,cos thats whats available !!!”
by bennytheboy1
Friday, July 06 2012, 9:59AM
“Agree with Mikes post,makes good sence and alook on the bbc website outlines the july transfers to date and clearly there is not much class changing hands in the two lower divisions.Nothing at all that would improve or better our club,just hasbeens and nearlymen we can get better than that if we play the waiting game.”
by Mr_Amazing
Friday, July 06 2012, 8:29AM
“I think Mike Spiligan has got it right. Players are going to be very cagey at this stage. There'll be plenty who are in demand and weighing up offers from any number of clubs. Don't expect them to commit themselves early. Bear in mind too the chains, similar to house-buying, that will doubtless exist. If a club can raise the cash from selling player X then they'll be able to buy player Y that they've had their eye on for a while. But player X can't move until ........... etc. etc. These chains won't be resolved early in July.
I think Argyle have done well so far. They are certainly not falling behind their rivals in the race to build a squad. They've got a striker of the calibre a league two team with little cash would very much hope for. Plus, in securing Gilmartin, they might well have created a situation similar to that which the club enjoyed a while back when McCormick and Larrieu competed with and brought the best out of each other. Let's not forget too that we've hung on to our best players. If PAFC was a club going nowhere then Purse and Blanchard would have been long gone by now. Maybe other clubs are buying up anything that moves because they need to. If we had glaring gaps throughout the side and a big budget we might be doing the same.”
by MikeSpiligan
Friday, July 06 2012, 6:33AM
“Pre-season always reminds me of that kids game show we used to watch when it comes to the lower leagues.... Runaround with Mike Reid. The premise of the game as I recall was for the kids to choose an answer but were then given the chance to change their minds and 'Runaround' Substitute the kids for players and the answers for clubs and you have the grown up version. The players swapping clubs at the moment are mostly drift wood who have been released from their clubs only to be picked up by some other desperate outfit keen to be adding to their squad before the season kicks in....
Personally I think that CF is doing a decent job and I applaud the fact that he isn't rushing into bringing half a dozen no hopers in.. As someone has already pointed out we have enough of those as it is... although I'm hoping that they do a little better this term now that some of the pressure is off them so to speak.... I'm certain CF will bring in one or two more should the right ones become available, in the meantime let the other clubs fight over the unwanted dross if they so wish....”
by helterfc
Thursday, July 05 2012, 11:07PM
“Wilf, a couple of dynamic strikers would be more than welcome.”
by WILFWASTHEMAN
Thursday, July 05 2012, 7:50PM
“Cant believe this - CF is quoted on the BBC footie site as saying we are overloaded with strikers!!! We have 3 totally unproven youngsters. one guy who is absolutely useless ( Feeney of course) and one who is injured most of the time (Chadwick). So if he is really saying we dont need new strikers then gawd help us next season!!”
by helterfc
Thursday, July 05 2012, 10:41AM
“Mr_A - You only have to read the News in Brief pages on the BBC 'teletext' football section. While league 2 signings may not be "significant', clubs are certainly adding to their squads.”
by GreenGOM
Wednesday, July 04 2012, 7:19PM
“Yes, Rene Gilmartin signed a 2 year contract with us. It's on every website except this one, again! The Janner Herald will pick up on it in about a week or two.”
by WILFWASTHEMAN
Wednesday, July 04 2012, 2:45PM
“Am I right in thinking we now have 4 goalies on the books?? Why?? We still dont have one decent striker on the books - strange!”