EAMON O’CARROLL is blocking out the outside noise surrounding St Helens’ top-six hopes, insisting the team is firmly concentrating on themselves.
Back-to-back wins have taken Saints up to seventh place ahead of Friday’s clash with table-toppers Leeds, with Hull KR two points better off and occupying the last play-off spot.
St Helens are now firmly back in the play-off picture, having been written off by many just a fortnight ago.
But O’Carroll insists the belief at the club has never waned.
Asked whether his side’s position would change his approach going into the final matches of the season, the interim head coach stressed: “No, not at all.
“With all due respect, that’s just outside noise. That’s people on the outside writing us off.
“We just concentrate on ourselves. We’ve had belief all year.
“We’ve been through the mill a little bit, but when you take a step back, understand the situation and why we’re in it, we know why.
“Yes, we could have been better at times, there’s no doubt about that. We certainly won’t shy away from it.
“But one thing that we’ve had over the course of the year is belief. Belief in the group, belief in each other, and that won’t change.”
O’Carroll dismissed notions of a negative atmosphere around the club, admitting: “I don’t think there was doom and gloom from us, and that’s all I’m interested in if I’m honest.
“If we go and lose on Friday, does that mean we’re back to doom and gloom?
“We have to stay level and we have to stay consistent in terms of our behaviours and how we’re training, and how we’re responding to positivity and negativity.
“We just have to keep our feet firmly on the ground, and keep working hard.
“If we do that, we’ll be where we deserve to be come the end of the year.”