Navarro expects Tranmere slide (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

SWINDON TOWN: Navarro expects Tranmere slide

6:00am Tuesday 19th February 2013 in Sport By Sam Morshead

ALAN Navarro has admitted his surprise at Tranmere’s remarkable rise this season, saying he expects them to fall out of the promotion picture over the course of the next two months.

Navarro, who played for Rovers earlier in his career, has like many been taken aback by the wonders manager Ronnie Moore has conjured up on a shoestring budget since returning to the top job at Prenton Park.

Tranmere sit fifth in League One, one place above Swindon Town, having led the division for much of the term but Navarro doesn’t think they have what it takes to last it out.

“I was one of them, I thought they would fall away and to be honest I still do think that. But you can’t argue or say anything against what they’ve done at the moment,” he said.

“They’ve been on a great run and they’re still involved and they’ve got a great chance like any one of seven or eight teams at the moment. It’s going to be interesting.

“I have a lot of friends over at Tranmere but my family is based in Liverpool and they’re all Liverpool and Everton supporters. I used to play for Tranmere, it’s over the water and I ended up getting a few friends over there who have stayed friends for a few years.

“I always look out to see how they do and I have done since I left them. When we go back there it’s just another game for me. Whether I’m in the starting line-up or on the bench it’s just a normal game.

“I know one or two. I spoke to John McMahon, who’s the first team coach up there, the last time he was down here and I know a couple of them.”

After Town thumped the Wirral outfit 5-0 at the County Ground just before Christmas, Navarro is expecting a backlash tonight.

“Before the game got cancelled last time because of the frozen pitch you saw a lot of the Tranmere players and fans tweeting that they were looking to get revenge, so I think it will be the same again,” he said. “You see that they’re up for it so we’re expecting that.”

Finally, the 31-year-old has said he feels good in himself following his return to first-team action after a four-month lay-off following a medial ligament tear.

“The leg’s been fine, I’ve had no reaction to it. Now and again I might feel it when I overstep or the ball hits it wrong but nothing major,” he said.

“It’s definitely going to take me a few games. It doesn’t matter how much running you do or training, it doesn’t prepare you for match fitness - it’s a totally different kind of fitness.

“Sometimes the adrenaline can get you through games, but only for so long. You can’t maintain that level of fitness until you get a couple of games under your belt and you get into the mould of things.”