Crewe coach pays tribute to Tom Pope ahead of derby game
Crewe first-team coach Alex Morris says it was a “great achievement” for the striker to reach one hundred goals for the Valiants.
Pope started his career with the Alex and Morris told the official Crewe website: “I’ve known Tom for years and it was a great achievement for him to score 100 goals for Port Vale.
I’ve known Tom for years and it was a great achievement for him to score 100 goals for Port Vale…
“We know what he can do and what he wants to do but actually stopping it is not easy. Tom is a good player and you can plan all you want but he is very good at what he does.”
Morris believes that preventing the service to Pope will be key for the visitors. He added: “He is a good target man and he scores goals. He isn’t going to create too much on his own and he would be the first to admit that he needs quality service.
“You have stop the source and stop those crosses coming from wide areas. You won’t stop every cross coming into your box but you can work hard to make sure they don’t end up in dangerous places so Tom’s first touch isn’t an effort at goal. We have to make sure the ball lands where the first contact is not an attempt at our goal.”