Dover Athletic boss Chris Kinnear on their televised game at Tranmere Rovers
07:30, 30 August 2017
Chris Kinnear has challenged his young Dover players to show what they can do in front of the TV cameras at Tranmere on Saturday.
Whites take on the National League title favourites at 5.30pm with a crowd of around 5,000 expected at Prenton Park plus many more watching the game on BT Sport.
It’s a big stage for Kinnear’s new-look team but he expects them to rise to the occasion.
He said: "They’ve got an opportunity now to play in front of the cameras. A lot of them probably haven’t done that before and hopefully they’ll enjoy it.
"Every player wants to show off to their friends and family on the telly. Why shouldn’t you?
"We don’t want them to play any different but if it gives them an extra couple of yards or gets their head stuck in there – which they shouldn’t, they should be flat-out in all the games – all well and good.
"Hopefully, we’ll get the result we want. Whatever happens, we’ll learn something from it."
Dover go into the game six places and two points above Tranmere, whose 2-0 win at Solihull Moors on Monday was only their second victory in seven attempts under Micky Mellon.
Kinnear said: "It’s a massive test. They’re as big as it gets, the third-biggest club in Liverpool.
"They’ve got a massive following, a beautiful 16,500 all-seater stadium but it just shows you can have all the money you like, an ambitious club, where they’ve been and what they’ve done but it’s about the team winning games.
"They’ve not got going but I’m sure, by the end of the season, they’ll be one of the frontrunners. They’ve got a decent manager, good players and as long as they don’t start panicking, I’m sure they’ll be up there.
"But whatever they do is none of my concern. We’ve got to play against them on Saturday, do what we do and hopefully get a result."
Kinnear has a fully-fit squad to pick from with Jamie Allen available after missing Dover’s last two games through injury.
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