John Ward is hoping that his Colchester United players will reap the benefits of having some rest this week.

The U’s manager gave his team a couple of days off ahead of tomorrow’s npower League One trip to Tranmere.

He felt there was a sense of tiredness in the last couple of games – defeats by Dagenham and MK Dons – and hopes some rest will help them bounce back for the last ten games of the season.

While some fans may have questioned a footballer’s need to have a break, Ward said other occupations afforded employees time off and he said he felt it was necessary.

He said: “I thought it was important that they relaxed this week.

“People outside the game sometimes think it is a load of tosh and that you should be OK.

“I understand that, but it’s not just playing on a Saturday or a Tuesday, we see them here all the time and sometimes you just need a little break.

“A lot of people take a few days off during the winter, but we can’t do that. We have to operate ten months right the way through.

“Even if we lose a game through bad weather, we are still training.

“We don’t have the opportunity that many other people do of taking a few days off or getting rest at weekends so we have to find a time when we can relax them off."

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