Forfar host managerless Stirling Albion today with the Loons looking to extend their unbeaten home run.
The Loons sit second in League Two and could close the gap on leaders Kelty Hearts, but assistant boss Scott Robertson is wary of a reaction from the visiting team after they parted ways with Kevin Rutkiewicz.
The former St Johnstone ace left his position on Thursday after an apparent disagreement with chairman Stuart Brown.
‘Shock to the system’
Rutkiewicz was named manager of the month just two months ago and Stirling are fourth in the league – but the Binos have lost their last four league games.
Internal politics aside, Robertson knows his side are in for a tough game against the visitors.
“I’ve been in that position myself. It’s a bit of a shock to the system when a manager leaves,” he said.
“They’re still in a decent position in the league, fighting for a play-off spot.
“A couple of positive results again and they’ll be finding themselves pushing up the table. They’re not a bad team.
“He was manager of the month earlier, keeping up pace with Kelty. Then, all of a sudden, he’s out of a job, so it shows the ruthless nature of management.
“They’ll be a re-energised group looking to perform for whoever takes over as manager so that’s what we’re anticipating coming at us.”
Confidence
Forfar are one of just five teams in the SPFL, including Rangers, Celtic and Hearts, who remain unbeaten at home.
They go into today’s clash full of confidence after a 3-2 victory away to Albion Rovers last weekend.
For Robertson and his team, the opposition is irrelevant as the squad if focused on the task in hand.
“We go into the game with a lot of confidence,” he said.
“We’ve got a lot of belief in the players in what we’re asking them to do, in the system were asking them to play in.
“No matter who’s starting the game, or who has come on, everybody in the squad has contributed to the positive results we’ve had to date.
“The fact we’re back at station park after a positive result last week, we know what we’ve got to do against a Stirling Albion team that have beaten us already this season, so it’s not going to be easy.”
