Notts County goalkeeper Sam Slocombe has explained that Luke Williams' style of play has been refreshing since his tenure at Meadow Lane began, insisting it is developing him into a better player.
The Magpies shot stopper spoke ahead of their trip to Halifax Town this weekend, and explained how the Notts manager has implemented his style of play on the team, without straying too far from the work put in by previous managers.
Some of the tactical identity remains within the squad since the departure of former manager Ian Burchnall, but Slocombe pointed out that is showing great respect to the work put in by the former Notts manager.
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Speaking about the changes since Williams' arrival, Slocombe said: "He obviously said that there was minimal changes needed when he came in and I think that is great respect to the work they did previous.
"I think a lot of the principles that we had prior feed into how he wants to play and his style. He is obviously very thorough in the detail that he goes through and goes through every kind of scenario.
"He does have a few slightly different ways of how we want to play, it has been a lot of work and although we are using very similar fundamentals, there is a lot of different stuff that he has brought in as well."
Following the departure of Burchnall to Forest Green, Slocombe explained that it has put things into perspective for some of the players since Williams' arrival, discussing that it has given some players a clean slate since taking the helm at Meadow Lane.
"I think it is the same in any walk of life, if I am honest," said Slocombe.
"You will get a new manager coming in and they will want to work slightly different, and I think it gives everyone a clean slate and gives everyone a new outlook on what their position is within the team.
"When you look at a lot of successful, even managers and football teams tend to only have a successful period of about three years it tends to work on, because they want to implement on what they want to do and sometimes a new voice needs to come in to take you to that next level.
"That is the case here. And I think with Ian (Burchnall), he rightfully got an opportunity to go try himself at a higher level and you would not but upset for him at doing that because that is what everyone wants to do.
"But that gave the opportunity for Luke to come in and come in with different ideas and share that with us and hopefully the ideas of both can take us onto a new path and keep going up that curve that we are going to try and continue on."
After an injury-hit season last campaign, Notts were forced to bring in backup in the goalkeeper position, with Anthony Patterson from Sunderland and Vitezslav Jaros from Liverpool joining the club and playing a number of games in the National League in Slocombe's absence.
And despite links to Leicester City's Brad Young circulating, the Notts number one insisted that pressure creates a successful team and that Williams' style of play is enabling him to become a better goalkeeper.
"Look, I am old enough and not daft enough to think you are just going to be given your rightful spot," explained Slocombe.
"Successful teams always have pressure from beneath to take your position and I think if that's not there you are probably not going to be a successful team.
"Last year, through a couple of instances it did not go my way with injuries and they wanted to have a look at a couple of different options. But let's not beat around the bush, (Anthony) Patto come in and did well, V (Jaros) came in and did well, so throughout the season, we had 'keepers performing at their best level in the team.
"I was obviously disappointed to not be playing as much football, probably most disappointed because of the way I had to come out the team with an injury, but this season is another fresh start.
"There is a lot to work on because Luke puts a lot of trust in his goalkeepers with the way that he plays and that has been quite refreshing to take on board and learn a slightly different way of playing, I am always trying to develop my game."
Notts managed to keep 14 clean sheets last season on their way to a fifth placed finish in the National League last season, conceding 52 goals in the process across 45 games last season.
And whilst Slocombe explained he has no intended target this season, the 34-year-old earmarked another statistic that he would potentially look at to ensure Notts finish as high as possible this season.
"We have not necessarily sat down and put a number of clean sheets, I think the thing you need to remember is that we go out every game to go out and keep a clean sheet.
"So to put a specific number on it would suggest that you are not going out every game to keep a clean sheet, but that is our ultimate aim.
"But for me it's maybe not clean sheets, but how many goals we concede this season, I would imagine statistically if you concede around 40 goals, maybe a little bit less, and the attacking threats we have, we are giving ourselves a good chance of finishing in the top three.
"Usually at the start of the season I work on a worst case scenario goal-to-game ratio over the season, that's going to come in different ways and forms.
"If you look back to last year, after Christmas we nailed down quite a few clean sheets so, things change throughout the season."
