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# Alexander urges bottom-placed Preston to ‘make positive choices’ ahead of Saints

- **Source:** 
- **Published:** 5 Nov
- **Club:** Southampton
- **Original URL:** https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/26702091.alexander-urges-preston-make-positive-choices-southampton/?ref=rss

They host Saints at Deepdale on Saturday, with Alexander's side bottom of the table after collecting just five points from their opening 14 matches.

The manager believes building confidence through winning is crucial, not only on matchdays but also during the daily work on the training ground.

Speaking ahead of the Saints clash, Alexander said: “I talked last week about choice, and choice gives you control.

"I make choices in my life that give me control over my destiny and my team's destiny, my teammates' destiny, and my players now.

🎙️ Manager Graham Alexander is set to speak to the press shortly ahead of this weekend's clash with Southampton. Updates will be provided in the thread below. 👇 #pnefc https://t.co/66ovOdtgTp

— Preston North End FC (@pnefc) November 4, 2026

“I wasn't super talented enough to have the career I did, but I had a real intense focus on what was important to me, what I was good at.

“If anyone else was worrying about a result and I wasn't, I had the advantage over that guy. Doing your best and winning makes you feel good.

"That's what we try to focus on. We are striving and attempting to try and win games, so everyone feels good going into this break, or just for Saturday.

“But we don't just do it on match days. We try to do it all week to try and feel good when we go home, because then it builds up your confidence."

Preston's meeting with Saints is the final fixture before the international break. Alexander has already discussed plans with senior players.

He revealed a group of experienced players had volunteered to come into training on days off to help improve the team's fortunes.

“We had a great meeting with eight or nine senior players earlier where they actually suggested to me about the days that we have off," he said.

"Coming in and doing extra work and whatever it takes to turn this around, which is brilliant. To see players suggest more work is really important.

"What I've learned over the period of 40 years in football is that resilience and persistence are really important.

“But we have to win games and be successful now, because we want to be a Championship club at least when we start next season.”