WHEN you lose a game as a player, whatever they say, it hurts.

If you lose against your local rivals it hurts even more, though it should not, it does.

If you lose in a big game like a derby, a cup semi-final, or something like that, then it hurts more, it hurts the fans more and therefore you cannot wait for the next game to come.

However the good thing about football is that nearly always there is a next game to put it right.

For Swindon after their defeat in the derby if they win on Saturday then Tuesday is not forgotten, but it dampens it down. Saturday will take on even more significance given that defeat to Oxford.

The Swindon players would have played Wednesday morning if they could just to get Oxford out of their system.

in this situation the role of the manager is often blown out of proportion. As a player, if you lose a game there should have to be no extra motivation from the manager to put it right.

The manager’s role is to come in and be positive and bright. It is no good criticising people, you need to be constructive and say ‘this is what you have done wrong and this is how you put it right’.

There are different ways a manager can approach the next game. Some might go with the same XI with the idea that those players lost so they should be the ones to show they can fix it. Or he might decide that group were not good enough and make changes, because you need to win.

How Mark Cooper deals with that against Peterborough is up to him.

When you are going through an injury crisis like Swindon are at the moment then you are only as strong as your squad. It is very rare you get a successful team with lots of injuries.

Bizarrely when a team is struggling with injuries you can often get more. Some of them will be physical, but they could also be mental. Players might be trying too hard when they are low on morale. There are lots of psychological reasons for injuries that people might not be aware of.

Pressure can lead to negative pressure, which can lead to injures. If you look most seasons at the wrong end of the table there will be team with lots of injuries for no apparent reason. It does snowball.

However you cannot make injuries an excuse. Players are human beings, give them an excuse for their failings they will take it.

There is no magical cure for a slump. If there was the Americans would have invented it, you just have to work hard.