Martin O'Connor mixing things up at Walsall

The 51-year-old was confirmed as the clubs interim manager earlier this week following the departure of Dean Keates.

O’Connor, who was first-team coach under Keates, now has five games to try and keep the Saddlers in League One.

But with the team having lost 10 of their last 13 matches, the new boss revealed he’s made a number of changes in a bid to freshen things up.

And he’s now hoping they make a difference heading into Saturday’s relegation six-pointer at Accrington.

“There have been a few tweaks this week – everything has been looked at,” O’Connor said.

“That’s not because there was anything wrong before.

“I just wanted to change things up and do something different because if you do the same things you normally get the same results.

“Hopefully that will give them a spark, something else to think about and we’ll now see what happens on Saturday.

“I’ve changed things up. We have moved on, we have brushed our disappointment aside.

“And now we are looking forward to a game against Accrington Stanley who are in the same boat as us.”

Walsall struggled to cope with the pressure that came with having to break down an Oxford side reduced to 10-men last weekend.

And at a team meeting held on Monday, O’Connor told the players they need to believe in themselves more.

“Nobody has put the weight of the world on their shoulders,” the interim boss continued.

“We can give them confidence, we can give them answers.

“But when they’ve stepped over that white line they have let themselves down.

“For me, it’s more a case of what do you believe in? Where is your belief? Are you good players? Do you want a new contract? Do you want to stay here, do you want to go on?

“Because now there will be an extra 20 people at every game, managers who want this job. Managers who want some of our players.

“The spotlight is on them. So why play within yourself?

“I have never been that type. Whether I am a manager or coach, I have never been that type. Go and show what you are about.”