Gerhard Struber: Bristol City boss has ‘trust’ in squad ahead of tough festive fixtures

Bristol City are currently sixth in the table, one point ahead of the three teams below them, and they face the Lions on Saturday having won two of their past three matches.

Struber said he is not looking beyond the next game, with eight fixtures between now and 4 January, and that ensuring his players are all individually motivated was key to gaining as many points as possible from a busy period.

“To plan a successful run is difficult, we have to plan the next game and give the next opponent the right [platform] and be sharp in our principles, this is important,” Struber said.

“We have to find the triggers for motivation for every single player, in presentations, in analysis, in the training so that the boys are happy and feel the sense behind why we do something.”

Captain Jason Knight was left out of the squad for the win against Preston last weekend but Struber said that both the midfielder and left-back Cameron Pring are now fit enough to start the next match.

Midfielder Josh Stokes and forward Harry Cornick are both back training following long periods out injured.

Yet Struber said his plan was still to try to bolster the team’s forward line in the upcoming transfer window.

“What we planned in the summer, this is something what we want to execute in January, this has not changed,” he said.