Sean Long: Cheltenham captain says new boss Darrell Clarke instilling 'drive and desire'
- Published
Sean Long is one of Cheltenham's longest-serving players having joined the club in 2018
Cheltenham captain Sean Long says head coach Darrell Clarke has brought a "drive and desire" into the team since his appointment four weeks ago.
The Robins moved off the bottom of League One with a 2-1 win at Port Vale on Saturday, Clarke's former club.
They have picked up seven points in the past five league games under the 45-year-old, with two wins and a draw.
The club started the campaign with a dismal record-breaking run of 11 games without a win or a goal scored.
"I think he's definitely brought a real drive and desire - he's instilling it into the group," Long told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.
"I think it's there for everyone to see in the game that he's been in charge of. It's obviously up to us as players to implement the messages he's given us, but you can definitely see a real hunger and desire out on the pitch.
"A lot of commitment - you could see it from the staff, you could see it from the players, the lads coming off, a real team effort and we need to build on that going forward."
Full-back Long, 28, scored both goals in the win against Port Vale - the first time he has scored twice in one game - after Cheltenham had gone 1-0 down.
Long said he hoped the recent upturn in form and results is the turning point for the club this season.
"We're ticking different boxes coming from behind, the goals we've scored, wins, draws," Long said.
"We've got a long way to go, we just need to stick together and keep building on the messages the manager and the staff are giving us."
The three points moved Cheltenham off the bottom of the table before a two-week break in the league, with their next game at home to Wigan on 11 November.
An FA Cup first-round tie at AFC Wimbledon is to come next weekend, before an EFL Trophy fixture at home to West Ham Under-21s on 7 November.
"We need to win a good few games and we want to win every game. We do have the FA Cup next weekend but we want to win that as well," Long added.
"We're just taking each game as it comes and it is important to get the win - but we need to continue building on that."
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