'Irrelevant' - Newport County boss Christian Fuchs on return of Sammy Braybrooke for Chesterfield clash
Newport County manager Christian Fuchs says the return of Sammy Braybrooke for Chesterfield’s visit is ‘irrelevant’ to him.
Braybrooke, 21, was on loan at League Two’s bottom club from Leicester City in the first-half of the season and caught the eye with some outstanding performances, winning the goal of the month award in December for his stunning strike from inside his own half against Colchester United.
But the Foxes recalled him from his loan and sent him to the Spireites for the second part of the campaign, a decision Braybrooke was more than happy with despite enjoying his time in south Wales.
Today (Saturday) Braybrooke makes his return to Rodney Parade but Fuchs, who won the Premier League with Leicester in 2016, insisted his focus was elsewhere and that he actually thinks the other players they have signed have improved the squad more.
In what was probably meant as backing for his own players rather than a dig at Chesterfield's, he said he would prefer to manage Newport than the Spireites because they have ‘good characters.’
He said: “If we are whining about every player that is leaving then it is a never-ending story. Sammy made a decision, or Leicester made a decision, that they wanted to loan him out somewhere else, which we have to accept.
"But it is not a game against one player, it is not about individual players, it is about us as a team, how we perform. The performance will then take care of the result. But if we don’t perform and only focus on ‘oh Sammy is playing’ – it doesn’t matter, it could be anybody. It really doesn’t matter.
"We need to look at ourselves and when I look at my team I would rather be the coach of my team than of Chesterfield because we have really good characters. We brought players in that can fill that gap more than enough. For me, it was even a step up now, with the players we have brought in.
"I am actually really looking forward to it and giving the answer on the pitch as a team, as a collective, and not as individuals trying to...whatever. Focusing on Sammy is irrelevant to me.”
Newport have won one in 10 since Fuchs took over but they did beat Crewe 2-0 in their last home game. Chesterfield, meanwhile, are winless in four and have drawn all of their last three but could jump back into the play-offs with a victory.