Darren Moore admits opening the season with a cup match will be very different but he says his team are relishing the challenge of facing Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.
Moore has praised individual quality in Tony Mowbray’s side and believes Rovers will have to be collectively very good to keep the Championship side at bay.
“It will be a different opening day fixture wise but it’s a good one,” he said.
“It’s going to be a tough game – we’ve got the utmost respect for Blackburn.
“They’re a good team, a good football club and have a wonderful manager with a wealth of experience so all of our knowledge, experience ability and knowhow is going to have to be brought together as one to get a result on Saturday but we’re looking forward to it here.
“It’s a good game, a tough game and they’re a wonderful team. They’ve got quality players and we’re collectively going to have to be good on Saturday because they’ve got individuals that can win games on their own.
Rovers’ league campaign will not start until September 12, but Moore says, despite the cup game coming earlier than expected, it’s still a match he and his team are looking forward to.
“We haven’t had the time we would have liked because they’ve brought the cup games forward but I understand the reasons to bring the cup forward,” he added.
“Every game is important. There’s not one game that we’ll just let go and this game on Saturday is an important one for us and we’re looking forward to it.
“That’s always been our mentality here. We prepare the best we can and we give the opposition the utmost respect. And we look at our game and how we’re going to approach it in the right manner. That’s the culture that’s been at the club since I’ve been here and that will continue.”
