Wycombe 'self motivated' to maintain promotion push

Wycombe are hoping to reach the Championship for only the second time in their history

Joint interim boss Sam Grace believes the self-motivation of Wycombe's players will keep their promotion push on track following Matt Bloomfield's departure from Adams Park.

Bloomfield left the Chairboys, who are second in League One, to become manager of Championship club Luton Town.

And development coaches Grace, Harry Hudson, Matty Dye and Jerome John have been put in joint charge pending the appointment of a replacement.

"With any change, there's a degree of uncertainty," Grace told BBC Three Counties Radio.

"What I would say, though, is the group is incredibly focused - you can take the manager away, and, as much as they are an important part of it, the team still wants to get promoted.

"We've assembled a group here that has high levels of internal motivation. They want to perform at their best, so yes, it's been a bump, but I don't see it as a distraction from their overall target this season.

Wycombe are currently vying with leaders Birmingham City and Wrexham - who lost 2-1 at Shrewsbury, managed by former Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth, on Thursday - for a top-two finish.

And they have signalled their intent by the signing of Danish pair, centre-back Anders Hagelskjaer and midfielder Magnus Westergaard, during the ongoing transfer window.

Wycombe are away to Mansfield Town on Saturday and looking to improve on recent form which has seen them take only four points from their last four games.

Grace is a boyhood Wycombe fan and returned to the club in 2020 to work with younger players as development group manager.

"Dad used to take me down to watch Martin O'Neill's team win 4-0 every week, and Jim Kelman took me through my coaching badges, so Wycombe has always been close," he said.

"Working in what was then a Centre of Excellence, that affinity to the club and players grows, and stepping away, they closed it was like a personal loss.

"It was more than just a job; it was a real passion project, so when Gaz [Ainsworth] offered me the opportunity to come back, it wasn't a hard decision, and that love for the club grows again."

At this stage, Grace said he had no idea how long he and the other three coaches would be running the first team.

"At the moment, it's just taking it on a game-to-game basis. If anything changes and someone gets appointed, then obviously we'll do our best to support them," he added.

"But there's not really a longer or shorter timeframe [been] placed on it."