Paul Buckle's interview ahead of Saturday's match at Mansfield Town:
It’s 15 days in the job and counting. I have learned loads, but there is still much more to learn. From every training session that has gone by and the two games, I have had some highs and lows already.
We had the high of seeing us hit the back of the net against Oxford, which was a great goal, then the low of conceding one and the disappointment of the FA Cup.
We held on for 83 minutes agains Dover and then conceded and it was too late to recover. On a positive note, when I came in and said the biggest worry was the goals against column and conceding goals so I have to be pleased with two in two against. We need to continue that and try to keep balance in the team, with a cutting edge to score goals too.
I had to handle the Dover result quickly, which is what you have to do as a manager.
We were in the next day and some of the players’ heads were down and looking at the floor, but I told them there is nothing on the floor for them, so get your heads up.
They now know where they stand with me and what I expect.
I have fire in my belly now and I have to lift the players, that’s my job. I know exactly what I am looking for and I want to get a team on the pitch the Cheltenham people are proud of. That’s what I have always tried to do.
What I want in the squad is every one of them being a good person, caring for the club.
Everyone is on trial until January and you are on trial every day as a player anyway.
I had a long career and I know how hard it is every day, being ready and being at it, in bad times and good times - you are a professional and I want that in this club. I have high standards and the staff now know what I expect.
It can’t just be me, it has to be all of them picking players up on things.
Cheltenham needs to work in a certain way and people have said it’s similar to Torquay and it is. I have a clear vision of how I want the club.
I am working with a small squad until January and then it’s the right players coming in.
We need to get the work ethic at the training ground and see which of the players are energisers and energy sappers and there will be no space at the club for the latter.
I am leaning on Rob Edwards, Steve Elliott and the staff, who I have been really pleased with. Success comes from what you do week to week on the training ground.
Players can be great for trying to find a weakness in the club, whether it’s the treatment room or the reserves, but it can’t happen here.
It has to be a professional environment, with high standards on the training field and then you take that into the games.
We knew what was coming against Oxford and Dover and we’ll always be okay with that because there is enough knowledge here, but what we have to do is get the players right.
Three players went down with cramp against Oxford and that can’t happen. The gimmes are fit, mentally right, ready and together. That comes from the training ground.